Good Friday: It is finished

"...and by his bruises we are healed."

It reads like the CNN reel of a highly charged,  political story unfolding.  Strong, angry voices on both sides.  Cameras rolling.  Helicopters on scene.  Reporters breaking the latest.  Live tweets by some of pilots close aides. Facebook a long steam of confused heartache...

The world stood helpless to stop it. Glued to the screen for each new detail.  Unable to turn away.  Unable to stop it.  Unable to make any sense of it. 

What is this?
How do we make sense of it?
What side are we supposed to take?
How does this change things?
Are we all in danger?

There was an angry crowd of rioters,
A peace keeping force, 
Various political officials
Allegations
Findings
Testimonies
Actions
Beatings
There was lots of news 
... and silently, 
at the center of it, 
was Jesus. 

They wanted to make an example of him,  so they marched him through the streets dragging the cross behind him.  They made a sign.  This is Jesus,  King of the Jews.

Don't question our authority, 
you will end up on a cross.

He marched on in silence. Unfettered by the frenzy that surrounded him.  The scriptures engraved on his heart. They opened a window into a different view of the events that unfolded around him.

I imagine they were a source of strength. 

It is how it must be.

"All who see me
mock at me;
they make mouths at me,
they shake their heads...
I am poured out like water,
and all my bones
are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
it is melted within my breast;
my mouth is dried up
like a potsherd,
and my tongue
sticks to my jaws;
you lay me
in the dust of death
...
...
...
All the ends of the earth
shall remember
and turn to the LORD;
and all the families
of the nations
shall worship before him.
For dominion
belongs to the LORD,
and he rules over the nations."

Jesus endured it all with the end in mind. 
His heart carried every word of scripture that he must now see through.  His mind steadfast....

It was the divine birth of a new covenant. The labor was intense but the new life,  the completeness that lie on the other side was the joy set before him.

His eyes were set firm
on the task at hand. 
To carry on. 
To finish. 
To fulfill the scripture.
He progressed
step by painful, unyielding step
until all was complete. 

And then...
he surrendered. 

It was finished.