THE SEVENTH WORD FROM THE CROSS
“Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46).
The parting words of Jesus were taken from Scripture.” Psalm 31:5 says, “ Into thine hand I commit my spirit.” After the torment of betrayal by one of His own, the anguish of denial by another of His own, after mockery and abuse, a crown of thorns and suffering, after being forsaken by God, and enduring the throes of death His was nevertheless a peaceful death! The measure of our affliction in life can never measure up to that of our Lord, yet just because He suffered more than we could ever have endured, we are bold to say, “Lord give us such a death as this.”
As children of God we may be confident that measured in terms of our relationship to God, ours will be a peaceful death. Our Savior has reconciled us to God. As we are reconciled to God through the death of Jesus, we have nothing to fear from God. No matter how violent our death may be, no matter how fierce the struggle may be between life and death, our heart can be at peace. Our Lord Jesus promised us “whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Further He said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand” (John 10:27-29). With these promises in heart the Apostle Paul said, “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day” (2 Tim 1:12). Amidst all the noise and raucousness of our ungodly age, the believer in Jesus can join with the martyr, Stephen (Acts 7) who said, “Lord Jesus receive my spirit,” and John Huss who before He was burned at the stake, said, “But I commit my soul into Thy hands; Thou hast redeemed me, Lord Jesus, God of Truth”, and finally Martin Luther who lying on his death bed said “I pass away; I yield up my spirit. Father into Thy hands I commend my spirit, Thou hast redeemed me, Lord, Thou faithful God.” Such a confession we may confidently make because our Lord Jesus having fulfilled all for our salvation commended Himself, and with Himself all His members to the hands of the Father in Heaven for which reason we may say,
In Thine arms I rest me,
Foes who would molest me
Cannot harm me here
(The Lutheran Hymnal-347).
Courtesy the Church of the Lutheran Confession
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