Finality

"Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing...It is finished" Luke 23:34; John 19:30 (NLT)

      A man's character is evident in moments of discomfort and inconvenience. There you are given a true glimpse of their inner soul. Jesus showed His mettle by never relenting in love even though it was being reciprocated by hate. In the final moments before He uttered His last words, He hangs there on the cross and sees men making a mockery of Him, and gambling for His clothing. He's not moved or incited by anger, as probably the vast majority of us would be, rather He is consumed by compassion for these were whom He was destined to die for.

      Interestingly enough, before He died the last thing He tasted was bitterness. As the time for His death approached, He thirsted as if to ask for a drink. His handlers obliged dipping a sponge in sour wine, a taste so vile that in the midst of excruciating pain, it just became ultimately unbearable. Sure He could have called down His angels to save Him, avoiding the embarassment of divinity being ridiculed, but He didn't. He stayed on that cross arms stretched out, blood dripping away from alll over His body. Pause a moment and picture that scene. I hope you realize that the finality of it all was for us.