A Personal Note from Pastor's Pen - In the Father's Hands

Over the past several days, our hearts have been heavy for our church family due to the amount of loved ones who have recently passed. Although we sorrow not as those without hope, we still go through seasons of sorrow at the death of a loved one. In times like these, it is good to find hope and encouragement from the Word of God. At the very end of Jesus’ life, as He was hanging on the cross, the sun was darkened and the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. At that point, the Bible tells us in Luke 23:46 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. Have you ever pondered what Christ was saying? What was the meaning and significance to these well-chosen last words. I believe the first significance that we can point out is the fact that Christ was quoting Scripture. David said in Psalms 31:5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth. This would not be the only scripture that Christ quoted from the Cross. (study this out) So, it seems that in the moment of passing, it is Scripture that helped him endure the pain and sorrow. If you are going through a loss, Christ reminds us to take hope in God’s Word. But not only were these words a quote from another person, I believe Christ was also expressing the true feeling of His heart. As David in his great pain had cried out to God, so does Jesus feel that same urgency for help. Notice this significance, Christ turned to the Faithful Father. In the midst of His   trouble, Jesus’ spirit reaches upward for relief with a strong confidence in the One who, alone, is a worthy refuge. Jesus prays, “Father, into thine hands I commit my spirit”, because it is only in the Father’s hands that we are safe. The moment we are saved, we commit our spirits into the Father’s hands as we trust Him for our salvation. But from then on, life is lived each day committing our spirits into the Father’s hands. We commit our spirits to Him in our service to Him, in our daily decisions, in our joys and sorrows. What a great and safe place to trust!            

  -Pastor Tommy