Three words.

Three words that shook earth and pleased heaven.

Three words that are an authoritative pronouncement of objective truth.

Three words spoken by a dying man that still ring in our ears today.

“It. Is. Finished.”

It’s a declaration that reminds us that striving ceases at the cross, for there we find the pinnacle of both the love and the justice of God. It reminds us that there is nothing left for us to prove, for Jesus has justified us before the throne of God above, once and for all. It tells us that there is no longer anything to fear, for we have been sealed by the blood of Jesus and are now and forever secured as the children of God.

But these are three words that are meant to be re-declared in big and small ways throughout our lives. This declaration should be brought to bear in relationships, at work, and in church moment by moment:

When we sin and instead of simply asking forgiveness we try and earn our way back into God’s good graces: It is finished.

When we look down on others because the sin we see in them reminds us of the sin we see in ourselves: It is finished.

When we punish our children out of anger but then try and convince them that their punishment was just: It is finished.

When we think that God should give us a good day because we had a lengthy quiet time in the morning: It is finished.

When we think that our spouse owes us some time for ourselves because we took extra time in looking after the kids: It is finished.

When we are too embarrassed to confess our sin and ask for prayer and instead hide behind the “unspoken prayer request”: It is finished.

When we are insecure because it seems that the other families on Facebook have cuter, smarter, and better behaved children than we do: It is finished.

When it’s February and we have already fallen off track in our “Read the Bible in a Year” plan and feel like an undisciplined failure: It is finished.

The words from the cross are still true, not only then but now. And not only in the future but in the present. It is finished. And thank God it is.