Yesterday Today ForeverSample

Much of life feels unfinished. Our task lists are always growing. We get rid of one relationship problem only, seemingly, to welcome another. One stress leaves and another replaces it. This constant sense of never being done or finished can create a sense of being incomplete in who we are. We mirror the unfinished business and problems of our life in our identity -- in who we think we are. Our identity fluctuates and changes depending on our changing circumstance.

Jesus didn’t come to make our circumstance the same or  to make them unchangeable; rather, His finished work has ensured our circumstance would not dictate our peace, joy and wholeness. His finished work gives us an unchanging ground upon which to stand.

Many things may be unfinished in our lives, but we can rest today in the finished work of Jesus Christ. He finished the work of the law, so we no longer need to fulfill the law to be righteous. He fulfilled the words of the prophets of old. We no longer need to wait for a Savior, for that has been finished too. Jesus finished the work the Father gave Him to complete. We no longer need to live in separation from our heavenly Father, for Jesus has finished that work. He finished the work of revealing who the Father is. We no longer need to live in fear of judgement or condemnation, for Jesus has revealed to us who the Father is: forgiving, kind, gracious and merciful. Jesus came as Truth incarnate, so now we no longer need to try to find truth on our own, but rather, He has given us the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth. Jesus took the punishment for our sins, He completed that work, so there is no payment to be made on our sin. We no longer need to try and make up for our wrongs -- it is finished.  

Yes, we all have many things unfinished. But could we stop for a moment and dwell on the things that He has finished for us on the cross? The finished work of the cross not only overwhelms every other incomplete thing in our life, but further it swallows up the death we are yet to experience. Even our own looming end as a human being is incomplete. Though we have yet to taste death for ourselves, even if we have all seen its effects in the loss of others, our death remains incomplete (but inevitable).  

Jesus finished even that. We no longer need to live in fear of death itself, for Jesus has shown us He has defeated and completed our end for us. Our end, without Christ, is separation from God, but now with Christ we will live forever in His perfect and complete presence.  

“Who we are” is now no longer incomplete or unfinished. As we place our trust and faith in Christ, our identity is secure. We do not serve a God that changes His mind about us; He is the same yesterday, today and forever, so we can live every day in this beautiful assurance His mind toward us is unchanging.