It Is Finished

With three words, Jesus sums up his time on earth, "It is finished" (John 19:30).  His life, his ministry, his struggle - the end had come for each facet of Jesus' walk on planet Earth. And, more importantly for mankind, task he came to accomplish was completed - Jesus had reached the finish line and won the victor's crown for us: "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1Cor 15:57).

Today, we are coming to a finish line, this year, 2013, is finished. Any opportunity to complete tasks, reach goals or address needs is over at the stroke of midnight. Just as for Jesus, it is finished. Unlike him, however, we are not likely to have actually reached all our goals, completed all our tasks, been truly victorious. Looking back over the year, we know we had planned to have done more and better. 

It is frustrating to know that we didn't get done or reach what we had hoped for in 2013. Looking back over the year can be depressing. So, let's not!  Let's not spend any time lamenting over the past, crying over spilled milk - let's do something empowering instead of deflating, let's look to the possibilities of 2014!

How about joining the apostle Paul in "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead" (Phil 3:13b)?  We can't change what we did or did not accomplish in 2013 - it is finished. But we are not finished and God is not finished with us. We have an open door before us and a closed one behind us. It's our choice, which one we focus on. I suggest the latter. "Hello 2014, let's see what you've got for me!"

Win, lose or draw, 2013 is a memory. Whether it is a good memory or bad memory hardly matters as what lies before us is new opportunities. New chances to address old problems and enjoy different outcomes.  We may have to reap what we've sown but we don't have to use the same old seeds, again this year - plant something new!  2013 is finished, but you are not. Jus' Sayn.