Updated: Jan 23, 2020
A couple of weeks ago, I was “politely” complaining to my husband about how the work/chores/tasks I do seem to circle back around with no ending. We have all been there where you get the dishes put away just to peek around the corner to see the delightful mess of clothes clean or dirty (who really knows) awaiting your arrival. I often catch myself saying, “it is always one more thing.” I find myself at times, my mind racing thinking about what needs to be done and how in the world I am going to accomplish the 101 things on my list. In my years of schooling, I missed events, dinners, activities due to the time constraints, paper deadlines and the pile of textbooks resting on my night stand yelling not calling my name. Now that my final and last degree has been completed I still find myself rushing from one task to the next. As I was praying and contemplating what my next article would be about, my mind came back to this phrase, “one more thing.”
As human beings, we can never accomplish 100% of what we want to do in our lifetime. Yes, that may seem like a shocker to some go-getters, and I have tried to dwindle down my list to zero many times. We can miss out on the most special moments in our lives because of that “one more thing” we thought had to be done. As a parent, your child is not going to care how polished the floor was or if the pillows on the couch were always straight. At graduation, they are not going to praise and give you salutations about the pictures frames that were always dusted or how organized the pantry was. Although, these things are great and your house will thank you for it, your kids will not. I have learned over the years and have gotten slightly better about the “one more thing” squeezing its way into my already over-thinking brain.
I know someone and hopefully you do to that defeated the “one more thing.” When He died on the cross for our sins, it was complete- our salvation, redemption. He had to endure a lot of things for us on this earth for our victory. He was sent here from God the Father with His own to-do list. He was blameless, sinless and yet took upon sin, blame and hatred for you and me.
“After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled the sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” John 19:28-30
As we reflect upon this Scripture, and furthermore our lives, let Jesus be your final “one more thing” for there is no other way to get to Heaven but through Him. When we receive Christ into our hearts and declare Him our Lord, and comforter there is not another “one more thing” we have to do to receive salvation. This is when we get into Law, stating there has to be step 2 and 3 in order to see the heaven gates. Some believe that wearing certain clothes, doing good works, and water baptism are requirements in order to receive salvation. If this were the case, what Christ did on the Cross would be null and void. A believer gets water baptized as a testament to what God has done in their lives and should proceed their commitment to following Christ.
So, the next time you are feeling rushed and like you are running on a hamster wheel, remember His words, “it is finished.” Take comfort in knowing that Jesus has done it for you, a debt we could never pay back, a list we could never finish!