In the final moments of the crucifixion, Jesus calls out to the Father. We find His last words in Luke 23:46. It reads, “Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” I’ve always been struck by this interaction. To a great degree, it feels like the final moment of resignation before the ultimate victory of the resurrection. Christ had spent the better part of a day bloodied, beaten, and basically naked, enduring one of the cruelest means of death ever invented by mankind. He was done, completely exhausted and utterly spent, and as He reached the end, He placed His soul in the Father’s hands. In truth, though, there is no resignation in these words. They are words of great faith and final restoration.
Commending Himself into the Father’s hands was not simply a final act of faith; it had been the pattern of His life all along.
For 30+ years, Jesus had entrusted Himself into human hands. By coming to earth and taking human form, He had taken on our fragility and, to a large degree, placed His care in the hands of His creation. Ultimately, it did not end well. Humanity distrusted and demeaned Him, and shamefully mistreated Him, culminating in their attempt to destroy Him on the cross. Commending Himself into the Father’s hands was not simply a final act of faith; it had been the pattern of His life all along. Jesus understood that continually and completely entrusting Himself into the Father’s hands was the best possible option.
This is a lesson that’s easy to understand, but much harder to apply. We like to believe we are not only in control of our lives, but that we have the strength and ability to create and maintain success in our own power. We believe that if we just work harder and/or smarter we can bend the reality of our circumstances and those we love to our will. And, perhaps we can maintain some semblance of control at times and in ways. But, whether we want to admit it or not, the strength of our hands is limited. As hard as we may try, we cannot consistently hold everything together. We would do well to follow the example of Christ, to entrust our lives and the lives of those we love into God’s almighty and loving hands.
Whether we want to admit it or not, the strength of our hands is limited. As hard as we may try, we cannot consistently hold everything together. We would do well to follow the example of Christ, to entrust our lives and the lives of those we love into God’s almighty and loving hands.
In this season, I find myself echoing the words of Jesus and commending my children, my church, my community, my country, and my own life into the Father’s hands. I continue to find the strength of my own hands insufficient. I need the Father to guide, to direct, to care for, and keep it all in His hands. I confess, I am not enjoying this season and I am struggling to let go. But each day, I endeavor to make the effort because I trust and believe that the Heavenly Father is much better suited to the task of caring for His children than I am. He will handle us with greater care and competency than any flesh and blood human could.
Whether we are at the end of ourselves or at our greatest strength, may we call out in faith and humility to our Heavenly Father: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” May we loosen our grip on the world around us and place it into His hands with full confidence that He will bring about His plans and purposes in our lives and the lives of those we love for our good and for His glory.
