Morning Devotionals

by Don Emmitte

 

March 21st, 2008

 

"Homeward Bound"

Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:28-30 NIV).

It is next to impossible to relate all that happened during Friday of the Passion Week in one devotional. However, the crescendo of events takes place with our reading today. Jesus breathed his last breath and declared, “It is finished.” As I began to think about these last words of Christ, a very interesting concept began to develop. It centers in a Hebrew word that is used often in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) when describing Jesus' march to Calvary. It is the word, “derek.” Literally it translates into our English word, “road.” It can figuratively be seen as a course of life or mode of action.

Imagine Jesus' thoughts as he felt the longing for home. Jesus was away from his Father’s home for thirty-three years. That’s a long time. He had come to fulfill what was written in the scriptures, and to do his Father’s work. He came to live on this earth for an appointed time and for a purpose. Now all was finished, completed. He died on the cross, rose from the dead on the third day, and forty days after his resurrection he ascended into heaven.

Have you ever been far from home, and long so badly for the comfort of home, and the unconditional love of family? Have you been driving for hours on the road, and are so tired, that the only thing that keeps you going is the surety of getting home. When you have had a hard day, it is comforting to know that you will be going home. As Jesus knelt in the garden of Gethsemane, he knew he was homeward bound. As he carried the cross on that long hard road, he knew he was homeward bound. As he was nailed to the cross for our sins, he knew he was homeward bound. As he cried out his last words before his death, he knew he was heaven bound. Christ was homeward bound.