Howdy do dear,
Today’s Holy Nougat May be a bit heavy; chew slowly and reflectively.
“Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last. When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped God and said, “Surely this man was innocent. ”” Luke 23:46-47 NLT
We may have heard a variation of Jesus’ prayer at funeral services just before the pall bearers return. In that context, especially when we are attached to the one who died, those words may be like lead in our stomachs. For usually, with those words come the reality some of us may be struggling to accept; our loved one is dead and the remains about to be interred. But there is another side to the prayer; and that is where I’d like us to focus; on the hope of eternity.
It is believed that humans are tripartite beings – body, mind and spirit. The mind is the CPU, it takes information and processes it for action and/or decision-making. The body comprises the casing and support systems that house the mind and spirit. Our spirits that vital, yet intangible element, for, though we cannot see it, our spirit helps define our earthly lives and keeps us connected with God and other spirits not necessarily contained by bodies.
For some, that age old question of what happens when we die might be answered by Jesus’ prayer. It seems that our mind accepts the body’s decision to shut down permanently and the spirit then follows suit as it departs the body (perhaps at that last breath). While I cannot say definitely what happens to our spirits after that, Jesus’ prayer suggests that it may be in God’s care. At least in Jesus’ case, and for the condemned beside Him.
I believe that when we offer our spirit to God, we relinquish control. And, when offered by us at the point of our deaths, we are actually confirming our faith IN God and tacitly affirming our belief in the afterlife. We suggest that although the body goes the way of all humanity, our spirits may have more life beyond the earthly realm. We suggest that God has the final word over our lives. Is that what we live on a daily basis? And, can others see and be convicted?
When Jesus committed His spirit to God He signaled that His human life was done, His purpose fulfilled. No longer was He contending with a bitter cup, religious leaders or hardened hearts. No longer was He subverting the natural order through healing and other miracles – Jesus was passing the baton on, first to the next generation, even to the soldier looking on, and also to you and me. But first, our spirits must be willing, open to God’s direction.
Because if we choose to die to self (daily) for Christ, then each time we consciously choose to yield ourselves; we have committed our spirits to God’s care. We invite others to SEE God at work through our spirits. Sometimes it’s just a matter of helping our minds catch up with the move of God on our spirits. A moment by moment task as the two don’t always agree. Nevertheless, we continue to offer ourselves, body mind and spirit, to God’s care; in the hope that when the time comes for the final committal on our part, we already know that our spirits are in safe Hands.
Where are we choosing to commit our spirits today?
In Christ’s love and grace . . .
