DEVOTION + INTO THY HANDS

 

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2013

Luke 23:46  “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit…”

 

SCRIPTURE READING: LUKE 19:45-49

⁴⁵And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

 ⁴⁶And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

 ⁴⁷Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.

 ⁴⁸And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.

 ⁴⁹And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

 

MATTHEW 27

⁵⁰Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

 ⁵¹And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

 ⁵²And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

 ⁵³And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

 ⁵⁴Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

 ⁵⁵And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:

 ⁵⁶Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedees children.

 

REFLECTION: 

As I child we learned to pray before falling asleep, “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep…”  Jewish mothers taught their children to pray Psalm 31:5, “Into thy hand I commend my spirit,” before they fell asleep in their father’s arms.  Dr. Barkley observed, “Jesus died with a prayer on His lips, perhaps the very prayer He prayed as a child falling asleep.”  The Evangelist tells us that Christ added “Father,” to His final prayer.

Men cannot and should not determine the moment of their last breath, but Christ was more than a man—He was the God-man. No man took His life.  He freely laid it down. 

What comfort it must have afforded the Savior as he cast Himself into the loving hands of His Heavenly Father. For eighteen long and excruciating hours Jesus had been in the hands of cruel men.  M. L. Maughmer, Jr. preached:

“When Jesus was in the hands of men—they arrested Him illegally.

When Jesus was in the hands of men—they stripped Him naked.

When Jesus was in the hands of men—they whipped Him until the flesh fell from his bones.

When Jesus was in the hands of men—they beat Him unmercifully.

When Jesus was in the hands of men—they plucked out His beard.

When Jesus was in the hands of men—they slapped Him in face.

When Jesus was in the hands of men—they punched Him until He was hardly recognizable.

When Jesus was in the hands of men—they jammed a crown of thorns on His head.

When Jesus was in the hands of men—they placed robe of mockery upon Him.

When Jesus was in the hands of men—they nailed Him to a cross.

But when Jesus was in the hands of His Father—He knew that He was in the hands of a loving Father.

Christ’s committal elicited a confession from the Roman centurion who stood nearby, “Surely this was the Son of God.”  Sons of God leave this world with a clear witness.  Even in our Lord’s death He was seeking the lost—He was seeking for me.

As the soul of our Savior took flight, the veil of the Temple (an ornate curtain that separated the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place) was rent from top to bottom.  I can imagine that Christ Himself headed to the Temple where He grasped the veil in his nail scarred hands and tore it in two. If He did not do it physically, He certainly did spiritually.  He opened to us free access to the Throne of God and His great grace. We now have an invitation “to come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” 

A committal, a confession, a demonstration, and then the earth shook.  The rocks were divided. Nature responded to the supernatural. The graves of departed saints were opened. The grave of the Savior was about to be closed—but only for a while.

Weary-worn from the battle? Commit your Spirit to the Father of all Spirits.  Wounded and dying at the close of the conflict? Commit your Spirit to the God of all Comfort.  Feeling forsaken and all alone? Commit your Spirit to Him who has said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” 

Rest assured, all who sincerely call Him Father and commit themselves wholly to Him, will finally hear Him say, “Enter into the joys of thy Lord.” 

PRAYER: Our Father, We are thrilled to know that the veil that separated us from God has been torn away.  We come now, boldly to the Throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in our time of need.   Help us to rest in the knowledge of our Heavenly Father’s love.  Grant that we would press toward the mark confident that one day soon the faith shall be sight.  And through every trial may we never lose hope.  This we pray in the name of our Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ name, Amen. “Our Father, &c.”