“I have finished the work which You gave me to do.” John 17:4

Finished – I love Oswald Chambers’ work. Years before most of us had any idea about the Hebrew worldview, God’s spirit of insight and wisdom invaded this man’s consciousness. He speaks like a rabbi. His articulations of biblical truth resound with Hebrew thought patterns. And yet he rarely moves his focus off of Jesus. His daily devotional for September 13 is worth intense study and, if you will allow, a bit of extended commentary.

“Surrender is not surrender of the external life, but of the will; when that is done, all is done.” You can take that to the bank! Chambers rightly notes that the battle with the surrender of the will “never needs to be re-fought.” Yeshua surrendered his will to the Father’s purposes long before the foundations of the world. Once he delivered himself into the hands of the Father, the rest, as we say, is history. Willingly emptying himself of his divinity, he took on the form of a slave for the express purpose of accomplishing the work he was given to do. That’s why the last words from the cross are not “It is finished,” but “It is accomplished.” Yeshua’s death was not the end (finish). It was the sacrifice that guaranteed the execution of the renewed covenant and opened the door to the Gentiles. It is the completion of Israel’s assignment given at Sinai.

The Greek verb here is teleioo, a verb whose emphasis is on reaching the goal. It means “to bring to a full end.” It is often translated as “perfect,” but we should not think of it as “perfect” in mathematical correctness. This is perfect in the sense of done just the way it should be done. It is an action verb, not a cognitive function. Add this to your reading of Hebrews 5:9: “And having been made perfect, He became . . the source of eternal salvation.” In other words, He followed the path directed by the Father all the way to the end. No man can do that without surrendering his will.

Let’s take one more look at Oswald’s insight – this battle never needs to be fought twice. I find that daunting. Certainly it is true of our Lord. No matter how intense the temptation, how subtle the enemy’s approach, how disguised the flavor of self-reliance, Yeshua turns it away. Just think of the enormity of Peter’s unconscious alignment with Satan when, just after proclaiming Yeshua as the Messiah, he suggests that death need not be part of the road to victory. But for me, the sting of Oswald’s obviously true spiritual perception is this: I seem to have to fight this battle many times. That leads to the inevitable conclusion – I have yet to really surrender my will. As much as I want the fight to be over, I am a coward when it comes to total abandonment. I keep holding on to just a little reserve – just in case, you know, things get really bad. Just in case they don’t work out the way I want. Just in case I really seem to be heading for a cross. So, the battle over my will keeps surfacing. I haven’t abandoned all my desires, choices and dreams. I keep thinking that I live in a Garden that I planted. How difficult I make things for myself by not seeing that ‘eden is His, not mine; and that He has provided all that I need to be all that I am under His majestic care, available immediately upon full surrender.

Perhaps you feel the twinge with me. Maybe today there is just a little bit of you left on the altar that was supposed to be given to destruction. Maybe you and I need to pray for the courage to trust. “Lord, I believe. Help now my unbelief.”

Topical Index: finished, teleioo, accomplished, surrender, Oswald Chambers, John 17:4