Surrender, Rest, Peace, and Love
The words of a tortured and dying Man, “‘Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit:’ and having said thus, He gave up the ghost.” Lk. 23:46.
These words weren’t canned. They expressed Jesus’ inmost thoughts. Through them we peer into the mind of Christ. Only when a soul is dying does all fear of censure and humiliation have no weight. All His life He “made Himself of no reputation.” Phil 2:7. Free and completely uninhibited was the Son of God. Now, at death the private communings of His whole life are made vocal for us.
What do we see in the workings of His mind? What is the foundation of His reasoning, from which flowed words and deeds of blessing and compassionate warnings to the world? What is His fundamental assumption?
Utmost surrender to His Father, His God. From birth and throughout life, all that graced His life and those around Him came out of the perfect acceptance He knew from the Father, a love to which He responded in exact kind. All that His Father stood for, He loved and stood for. His was a heart settled in the deepest peace. In that peace no blustering human threats ever disturbed, a peace in which even the most life-threatening storms on the Sea of Galilee could not awaken fear. “He that sent Me is with Me; the Father hath not left Me alone; for I do always those things that please Him.” Jn. 8:29.
In that peace, the clamorings of a fallen human nature never rose; the voices of self-love and self-indulgence were never heard. Temptation banged and harangued louder than any other child of Adam ever knew, but no one was ever home. “The prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in Me. But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave Me commandment, even so I do.” Jn. 14:30,31.
In that surrender and peace came a rest from all worry and care. His was a soul that never wearied, never a burdening spirit that drew from the vitality of His physical body. The second Adam, He was a quickening spirit, a living, walking, talking dynamo of energy because none of His strength was sapped by fears and stress. From that bottomless resource of His communion with His Father sprang ideas and methods for healing the minds and bodies diseased and plagued by the devil, which still marvel the world. So many refuse to accept His miracles because they don’t understand the makeup of His heart, mind and communion with God.
That fullness of love, that blissful rest, that depth of peace and constant surrender, we may have. All these form the gifts from heaven to fallen man to restore it into its former glory, the glorification and sealing promises of God. All the gold in the world is but chaff compared to the riches of Christ. One day our heavenly Intercessor will have folks on Earth who have found that divine love which endureth forever, the peace which passeth understanding, and the rest that remaineth for the people of God. And then He will come to claim them as His own.
See Him there on the cross, the Innocent suspended between heaven and earth, arms splayed wide open in complete vulnerability and helplessness. Recognize His utter hope in His Father in His very last moment of consciousness. And by beholding Him, become changed into the same image from glory to glory.
He has made Him to be surrender for us who knew no surrender; that we might be made to surrender to God, in Him.
These words weren’t canned. They expressed Jesus’ inmost thoughts. Through them we peer into the mind of Christ. Only when a soul is dying does all fear of censure and humiliation have no weight. All His life He “made Himself of no reputation.” Phil 2:7. Free and completely uninhibited was the Son of God. Now, at death the private communings of His whole life are made vocal for us.
What do we see in the workings of His mind? What is the foundation of His reasoning, from which flowed words and deeds of blessing and compassionate warnings to the world? What is His fundamental assumption?
Utmost surrender to His Father, His God. From birth and throughout life, all that graced His life and those around Him came out of the perfect acceptance He knew from the Father, a love to which He responded in exact kind. All that His Father stood for, He loved and stood for. His was a heart settled in the deepest peace. In that peace no blustering human threats ever disturbed, a peace in which even the most life-threatening storms on the Sea of Galilee could not awaken fear. “He that sent Me is with Me; the Father hath not left Me alone; for I do always those things that please Him.” Jn. 8:29.
In that peace, the clamorings of a fallen human nature never rose; the voices of self-love and self-indulgence were never heard. Temptation banged and harangued louder than any other child of Adam ever knew, but no one was ever home. “The prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in Me. But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave Me commandment, even so I do.” Jn. 14:30,31.
In that surrender and peace came a rest from all worry and care. His was a soul that never wearied, never a burdening spirit that drew from the vitality of His physical body. The second Adam, He was a quickening spirit, a living, walking, talking dynamo of energy because none of His strength was sapped by fears and stress. From that bottomless resource of His communion with His Father sprang ideas and methods for healing the minds and bodies diseased and plagued by the devil, which still marvel the world. So many refuse to accept His miracles because they don’t understand the makeup of His heart, mind and communion with God.
That fullness of love, that blissful rest, that depth of peace and constant surrender, we may have. All these form the gifts from heaven to fallen man to restore it into its former glory, the glorification and sealing promises of God. All the gold in the world is but chaff compared to the riches of Christ. One day our heavenly Intercessor will have folks on Earth who have found that divine love which endureth forever, the peace which passeth understanding, and the rest that remaineth for the people of God. And then He will come to claim them as His own.
See Him there on the cross, the Innocent suspended between heaven and earth, arms splayed wide open in complete vulnerability and helplessness. Recognize His utter hope in His Father in His very last moment of consciousness. And by beholding Him, become changed into the same image from glory to glory.
He has made Him to be surrender for us who knew no surrender; that we might be made to surrender to God, in Him.
posted by David | 5:31 AM
4 Comments:
I just love the fact that he gave up his spirit, it was not taken from him. Even after all that has happened, Jesus trusts in the Father's faithfulness enough to do that. It is quite a testimony to us to do the same in whatever situation we find ourselves in, to entrust ourselves, body, mind and spirit into the Father's care so that he may put his Spirit into us to help us through whatever is at hand.
Yes, Inheritor, the lessons of faith go real deep and we have the perfect example in Jesus. "The faith of Jesus," was Paul's ultimate goal in life. And it will be the goal of every other needy person seeking God.
Beautiful words, David!
Beautiful Jesus, Trailady! Thanks.
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