“And 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.” - Luke 23:46
The last words of a passing leader are normally immortalized by a biographer. Whether it be a British monarch, an American president or a wealthy businessman, we like to read the final words spoken by famous leaders. How much more important it is read the final words of Jesus before His death. His final words were actually spoken in prayer.
I don't know of a better way to leave this world than to die praying.
Pastor and author Alistair Begg was once asked to explain the dedication page of his book, PRAY BIG. Begg dedicated the book to the memory of T. S. Mooney, “who remembered me daily at the best place.” Alistair Begg explained that many years before he became friends with Moonie, who was a Scottish minister. Early on in their friendship, Moonie offer to put Alistair Begg's name on his prayer list. When Moonie died, they found him fully dressed and leaning over his Bible --- and the prayer list was on top of the Bible. Mooney had died praying.
Jesus died praying. His final words from the cross were, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” Jesus placed everything at the care of His Father. He trusted the Father with His death and His resurrection.
There is much for us to learn here. We are all mortal beings. As humans, we are facing physical death. We don't know when that moment will come. Maybe in a few years, perhaps today. We have a human tendency to hold tight to this world and refuse to let it go. Up till now, this world is all we've know. We have possessions, friends and family still here. To part with them is very difficult. From a human perspective, death seems dark, gloomy and uncertain.
Yet the Bible teaches us that death is just a doorway leading to a new world. As followers of Jesus, we are following His footsteps. Yet His footprints will lead us through the valley of the shadow of death. But His footprints go even further. His footprints lead us home.
If we're honest about it, we like the thought of leaving in the rapture. We like the idea of leaving here in the twinkling of an eye and cheat the undertaker of more business. This may happen. Yet we have no guarantee that Jesus will return in our lifetime. Whether He does or not, we need to be prepared to leave at any moment.
Just as we trusted God for our salvation, we are trusting Him when we face death. Our salvation not only covers the forgiveness of our past, it also insures our future. If we can trust God to save us from our sins, we can trust Him to take us safely home.
God's plan of redemption was fulfilled when Jesus died on the cross. The rough wood that He was nailed to became stained with His blood. That cross seems so repulsive to the world, but it is a glorious sight for us.
Jesus died for our sins on that cross. He completed salvation's work on our behalf. I am not saved by my works. I am saved by His work on the cross. I am saved because of His sacrifice. My sins are covered by His blood.
Now, we are called to take up our cross and follow Jesus. The cross was a place of execution. It was a means of death. We are called to die to sin and self and be surrendered to the Lord Jesus. In Galatians 2:20, Paul put it this way: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
The future is not in my hands. It never has been and never will be. In fact, everything would be a mess if it were in my hands. Knowing the heart of God, I can trust Him with my future. I trust His Word to be true. I know He is in control. So I can trust Him with my life … and my death. While the future seems so cloudy and uncertain, I can trust Him with every moment that lies ahead. He is sovereign. He knows what is best for me. I trust Him with the road ahead. My future is in His hands.
Jesus used His remaining strength to utter a prayer. Knowing He was about to die, Jesus prayed, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.”
We can trust the Father with all we face today. Good or bad. Laughter or tears. Gain or loss. Life or death.
When the final moment comes, may God give us the grace to pray like Jesus, and say, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.”
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