With those three little words - it is finished - Jesus invites us to enter into a state of forgiveness. And yet, that is so difficult for us - even when we find the strength to forgive others, we have trouble forgiving ourselves! We are tempted instead to live a life of self-condemnation, remembering the things we did that we ought not to have done, and the things we left undone that we should have paid attention to. We need to constantly remember that it was for these that Jesus died. Through His sacrifice His grace was given to us so that we would not have to live like that.

It is a lesson I did not learn until a near-death experience caused a turnaround in my thinking. Yes, we are undeserving of His love; yet He loves us anyway. Yes, we are imperfect creatures who continue to mess up; yet He loves us anyway. Greater love has never been shown. All we can do is say "thank you" in praise and worship, and try to do our best, empowered by His Holy Spirit, to demonstrate that love in our own lives.


Written by Lukas Huisman a supporter of the Canadian Bible Society