Day 37 - Jesus' Parting Words

by Dwight Hartman

Psalm 22

My wife Terri and I have a funny ritual we do when we leave each other – for work, shopping, anything. We kiss. Now, don’t give me one of those Hallmark movie moments and say “ahhh!” I’m not that much of a romantic. But I think it’s rooted in the idea that if we don’t see each other again, at least we parted with a kiss. The last things we do or say with the ones we love is important.

 My dad’s story comes to mind. Near the end of his life, he brought my oldest sister and me in to have a talk. They weren’t exactly his very last words, but they were the ones that he thought of primary importance, ones that came when he understood his inevitable death would come. He talked about finances. This conversation had gravitas, it meant more than just the words. Later, my dad had a conversation with my brother-in-law; a good old fashioned Baptist altar-call to repentance and belief. The best I understand, my Dad’s answer was “thank you, but that’s not for me.” I carry that sadness, with a mixture of hope, with me always. He parted with a rejection.

  I’m at the stage of my life where there are more years behind me than ahead. I think we all want to finish well. Not with a bang or flourish, but well; in the Christ-follower “well done good and faithful servant” type well. Jesus gave us an example par-excellence of finishing well. When we look at His last words on the cross, Gospel accounts give us a few to ponder. The church has generally recognized seven phrases or “words” that Jesus said on the cross. Some are comforting, but one is confusing: “Father, why have You forsaken Me?”  

  Books have been written and theology libraries filled trying to explain that profound statement. God’s justice was fulfilled, all of humanity’s sins exchanged for perfect innocence – it’s probably all true, but way above my pay grade to fully understand. What I do know is that His last words were the start of a psalm – Psalm 22.

Hello! That psalm must be vitally important! Jesus is the consummate Rabbi, speaking in parables and teaching with small snippets of the Hebrew Scriptures mixed in. He meant for us to recall all of the story behind those short snippets and see how they illuminate His teaching. Psalm 22 perfectly fits the bill. Read it again. It describes struggles, persecution and even crucifixion. But at the end of the psalm, even in the midst of all the trials and rejection, all the possible forsaken-ness, the psalmist praises God. Jesus chose that specific psalm to tell us this is His desire: praise God in all things. As I think of finishing well, I can’t have a better Rabbi to follow and give my life to. Even on the cross, He parted with praise for God the Father on His lips.

Psalm 22 ends like this. You might even hear echoes of His very last words, “It is done.”

 “They will proclaim his righteousness,

declaring to a people yet unborn:

He has done it!”