This is by far my favorite word in the bible.  To me there is an amazing amount of meaning wrapped up in this one word.  It is the Greek word Jesus used when He was dying on the cross and said, “It is finished”.  However, there is so much more meaning to this word when you know a little history behind it.  This word was used in New Testament days when someone paid off a debt.  Once the debt was paid in full this word was stamped across the record of the dept.  This word was also used when a servant had finished the work he was supposed to do or when a shepherd found the perfect lamb for passover.  I cannot completely grasp the significance of all that Jesus did for me.  He came to earth to fulfill a specific purpose, a specific job.  He came to become the perfect lamb, to become the ultimate sacrifice, to become sin & die on the cross to pay OUR debt…and He paid that debt in full.  There is nothing left for us to pay, our debt was completely paid off when Jesus died on the cross.  This is something that I try to consciously think about each day….each day I try to grasp this and thank God for my salvation that I have because Jesus paid my debt in full.  No matter how long I think about this or how long I try, I cannot truly and completely grasp this.

It is because of this amazing truth that Jesus should be what my life is all about.  I was recently reminded of this when I received some missionary friends’ newsletter.  They stated that, “Our first calling is not to the ‘work of the ministry.’  There will always be work to do and needs all around us everywhere we turn and it would be easy to burnout.  However, our ultimate call & purpose is to be with Jesus!  Jesus is our first calling.  Period!”  I was convicted when I read this because it can be so easy to get caught up in the ministry and what I am doing for Jesus.  I was reminded that I need to take time to just be with Jesus and that my first calling is to Him…that my life needs to be all about Him.