He said, “It is finished” John 19:30
Dear Lord Jesus, on this Labor Day, our hearts are filled with gratitude. We’re thankful for our jobs—for the good gift of work, by which we provide for our families and others; participate in the creation mandate—to steward your resources, make culture, and reveal your glory; and though which we celebrate being made in your image. We praise you for the dignity and privilege of work, as exasperating and exhausting as it is, at times; and we praise you that throughout eternity—in the perfections of life in the new heaven and new earth, we’ll live lives of creativity, engagement and meaningful work.
But even more so, on this Labor Day, we’re grateful for your finished work, Lord Jesus—for your labor of love offered for us once and for all. Everything changed when you cried out from the cross, “It is finished!” We praise you for the once-and-for-all-ness of your redeeming work on our behalf. As our substitute in life, you worked hard to do what we could never do for ourselves—you fulfilled all the demands of the law for us. And as our substitute in death, you accepted the just and holy consequences of our failure to keep God’s law. We worship and adore you!
Because your labors are complete—because your ”It is finished!” continues to reverberate in the courts of heaven, we’ve been declared guiltless and righteous; greatly loved and delighted in fully; seated in the heavenlies, rooted in love and standing in grace; totally and eternally accepted in you—the Beloved. The arrogance of performance-based-acceptability has taken an eternal beat-down; legalism and pragmatism have been exposed and ”trashed.” Now our labors have also become labors of love. We obey you because you loved us and gave yourself for us as a sacrifice for our sins. What a joy, privilege and honor!
We now work from a place of rest, not restlessness; not to get anything, but because we’ve received everything; not to build a little fiefdom for ourselves, but to expand your kingdom in our communities; not to get crowns, but to throw crowns at your feet. Indeed, on this Labor Day, we are so very grateful. So very Amen we pray, in your merciful and mighty name.
