Finished Work, Eternal Glory

These two verses come from what many call Jesus' "High Priestly Prayer", spoken the night before His crucifixion. Jesus had gathered with His disciples in the upper room, and now He lifts His eyes toward heaven and prays. It is one of the most tender and powerful moments in all of Scripture.

Jesus says He has "accomplished the work" the Father gave Him to do. Think about that. He hadn't gone to the cross yet, but He spoke of it as already done, that's how certain He was. His whole life, every step, every miracle, every word of truth spoken to broken people, it all pointed toward one purpose: to glorify God by saving sinners. Nothing was wasted, nothing was off course.

He then asks the Father to restore the glory He shared before the world ever existed. This is a window into something breathtaking, Jesus didn't begin at Bethlehem, He was there before creation, wrapped in the full glory of God, and He willingly set that aside to come for us. The One who made the stars put on human skin and walked dusty roads to finish the work of our redemption.

For us today, this is deeply encouraging, as Jesus completed what He came to do, your salvation doesn't rest on your performance or your consistency, it rests on His finished work. When He later cried "It is finished" from the cross, He meant it.

There's also a gentle challenge here. Jesus could say He had accomplished everything the Father gave Him, but can we say the same about our day, our week, our life? God has a purpose for each of us, too. Not to earn salvation, but to live it out faithfully.

Ask God today: "What work have you given me to do?" Then trust Him to help you finish it.