FATHER INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT

This is the last word spoken by our Lord Jesus during his crucifixion. It is also the
seventh and seven, is God’s number that signifies completion. Completion of what? It is a
completion of God’s plan of saving his beloved creation - Man. It is also God’s way of saying to
this unbelieving and unrepentant world that salvation was made easy for man through the
sacrifices of God’s begotten son “Jesus” to be whole again with HIM.
Yet man in his own nature is still blinded by his own sinful ways and follows the path
apart for what GOD had taught him to follow. They follow the ways the devil snare them and
entice them through outward holiness, and interestingly through religion. Religion so you ask? Is
it not that religious leaders during Jesus times are responsible for His death? For religion to them
is believing in God through attending religious services, observing religious feast, being baptized,
receiving communion, learning the difference between right and wrong, of what is immoral and
moral which sometimes depends on social acceptability of the issues concerned. Religion to them
is singing in the church choir, memorizing scriptures, singing hymns, giving help to the needy,
but is it not this same religion that the Pharisees and spiritual leaders of Jesus time hated Him not
only for He broke their religious traditions and customs but because Jesus saw through their
religion to their hearts. For religion doesn’t change people’s heart but only Jesus. For religion
cannot change people’s life so it makes laws and rules to follow.
Father into your hands I commit my spirit, this last words of Jesus shows us faith and
obedience even unto death. For this is what keeps a true Christian apart from a mere Christian
religiosity. For salvation that Jesus Christ offers is not a reward for a religious effort that we do
but a gift and gifts are free and offered to all and to all who put their faith and trust to HIM. The
things that we are doing here in our church I believed are outpouring of our faith and love to our
Savior Jesus Christ and not a mere religious activities lest we face Jesus during His second
coming unworthy and guilty as the Pharisees. For I myself pray for more strength and faithfulness
for our generation is a generation where to be a Christian is like walking on a rope, where one
could easily compromise his faith for fear of alienation or lose of opportunities but still this Jesus
last words holds me through for a can say Father into your hands I commit my life and my family.
AMEN