Unfinished business?
Our first meal together was a few months ago, mainly because my husband Jeff and her husband Scott had become friends and they thought Kirsten and I would also get along.
So we all four met at Applebee’s one Friday night. We chatted. And we connected. The men were right.
But then Scott got a call to a new job and he flew to Seattle and they were selling their house and packing up boxes and our next meal was a group farewell dinner at Terranova’s.
My friend moved away last week. And I hardly got to know her.
It’s my own fault. I thought there would be time. More time. I didn’t know, Kirsten didn’t know, that she’d be moving across the country from Alabama to Washington in the blink of an eye.
But last week Jeff and I were blessed with an evening at Kirsten’s house preparing for their move and on Friday we got to give her and her kids a ride to the airport to meet up with Scott in Seattle.
It wasn’t enough, but it was something. I’ll take it.
I don’t like the feeling of unfinished business.
Maybe that’s why yesterday’s Easter sermon made my heart pound.
“It is finished.”
Pastor Mark shared about these four cups of Passover—sanctification, deliverance, redemption, and protection.
And then another cup—the cup of wrath. One meant for me.
But the cup Jesus drank for me instead.
And with one last breath, one last blood drop, one last heart beat—he finished it all.
It was the end of the law (Romans 10:4). Once for all (Hebrews 7:27). My forever debt was paid (Colossians 2:14).
Done.
I may still have unfinished opportunities here, but there is no unfinished work. Jesus paid it all.
No need to pay twice for what’s been paid in full.
We each were given a wooden cup on Sunday morning to take home, to remind us that Christ drank our cup of wrath, and now we get to drink freely of his grace.
So even though I may not have a meal here with Kirsten for a long while to come, I know there will be a meal with her later—one gigantic feast—because Christ already made our reservations, set the table for us, and paid for it all.
The cups overflow with goodness.
Nothing goes unfinished.
* * *
Do you have regrets over any unfinished business? Is it hard for you to leave a mess for someone else to clean up, or to let someone else pay for you? Please share in the comments.
Yes, “It is finished.” What a wonderful thought to place on our hearts when we think we were cheated of time or moments or whatever. Jesus paid the price for us and we have Him and that is all we ever need.
Praising God for His precious Gift.
Caring through Christ, ~ linda
Yes, I find such comfort behind the simple words, “It is finished.” We can know that all is taken care of! Have a great week, Linda.
Yeah, that unfinished business hangs over us like a heavy dark cloud, Lisa. I feel like the proverbial albatross is hanging around my neck til I do what I just know needs to be done.
And dearest friends that leave always way too soon? Ah, that is another post, isn’t it. The pain is indescribable …
I don’t do too well with unfinished business either, although I can see progress over the past few years. Staying with God in the “now” is really helping (funny how God can change us after all!). 🙂 Thanks for my Easter e-card, Linda! So cute.
Thank you for the lovely reminder! It will be such a joyous meal together one day! I look forward to meeting so many new people and reuniting with so many that I have loved and missed!
The reunions are going to be spectacular, aren’t they? I’m looking forward to that part too! It’s so hard to comprehend being in the presence of God’s fullest glory plus our loved ones all at the same time.
Lisa,
Thank you for reminding me Christ drank the cup of wrath meant for me so I don’t need to …something to remember more often so I can drink of the cup of God’s grace…It’s hard when a new friend moves suddenly…maybe you’ll get to visit Seattle?
We do talk about visiting the Seattle area, so who knows? I do know this: never say never. 🙂 We are often surprised where we find ourselves. Let’s keep drinking out of that cup of grace, Dolly.
Finished can be so hard to fathom sometimes. Especially the payment part. At least there should be something to repay, right? That, too, is finished. What a blessed reminder. Thank you for sharing a Small Wonder.
It goes against our American way, right? We don’t want to be in anyone’s debt. But this gift of grace is way too big to ever repay even if we wanted to. Thanks for your words, Beth.
Yes, so much unfinished … yet the reminder of Christ’s blood for me. Tears unshed being held back. Thank you dear friend.
Miss you, Katie. I pray health and job situations and relationships are going in a good direction in your life, friend. You are special.
So many things in our lives go unfinished, but as you say, the one thing that IS finished is the forgiveness of our sins. What a wonderful thought…that Jesus paid it all so that we may be free forever. Thank you for reminding me that the cup of wrath is never made for me to drink. And as a side note, Seattle is BEAUTIFUL! I lived there for 5 years and fell in love. I hope you get the chance to visit your friend there soon.
It’s good to hear your recommendation of Seattle. I tend to stereotype it as dark and damp. ha. But if you lived there 5 years, you should know! 🙂 Thanks, Laura.
For years i have been carrying around guilt, guilt that wasn’t really mine, but someone else’s, but i was part of it in a blind man’s-way. I didn’t know, so i couldn’t see and yet i felt guilty for what happened, when i finally found out.
I went to see a psychiatrist recently and the story came up again, and at the end he said ‘put it down, let it go, it is not yours, it belongs to someone else!’ I rebelled and thought ‘how does he know, how does he understand?’
Now Jesus Christ says to me ‘it is finished’ put it down, ‘it is finished’. I know he took my sins upon him and now he has taken my guilt over this one thing, one thing more and it is finished.
Thank you for sharing, Lisa x
Wow. I appreciate you sharing this, Beverley! It moves me. I’m sure we all carry around guilt–some for things we did do, some for things we didn’t do–but all of it needs to be put down since Christ paid for it. “There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1) is one of my favorite verses. It’s sometimes easier said than believed, but with God’s help, we can continue to grow in understanding that it really is finished. Blessings to you!
I think once i physically move on it will feel more finished, but something that was in my thoughts often i have not thought about since your post until i received your reply.
You moved me too and made me cry, but they were good tears x
I’m glad they were good tears; those are cleansing ones. I agree with you that once you are physically in a different place, it will feel different emotionally as well. Praying for all to go well!
Thank you, Lisa x
It does seem as if my unfinished business is all about relationships as well — investments I wish I had made in younger women who, like your friend, are now living elsewhere; minutes I wish I had spent talking on the phone to a friend who is now in heaven. Thank God His business with us is FINISHED , as you have reminded us — no longer do we rely upon the imperfect sacrifices, or our own bootstraps. I think I may have managed to figure out how to follow your blog, — we’ll see if it worked! At any rate, I loved bumping into you today at Soli Deo Gloria sisterhood.
Glad we keep bumping into each other, Michele. Maybe it’ll reduce the chances we’ll have unfinished business with each other anyway. {smile} I am also so thankful that God doesn’t depend on us to get it all done ourselves!
That’s a big question. I don’t know the answer right away and will have to ask God if I do have unfinished business. But I love the way you wove the story of your own unfinished business what HE HAS FINISHED. Amen!
Thankfully he has taken care of the BIG stuff first. 🙂 We can relax knowing that whatever we do is just icing on the cake.
The mission Jesus had been sent to do on earth was finished – done – Salvation was set in motion. However at His resurrection there was a new beginning. A new mission was established and continued on to Pentecost and onward. I am so glad he was willing to complete the task the Father sent him to earth for, and then – – – the “Rest of the Story begins.”
Our opportunities are definitely bountiful! So grateful that we can approach them from a standpoint of victory because of what Christ has already done on our behalf.
Sad you didn’t get a chance to connect more with Kirsten. But what a great lesson to learn! Never take tomorrow for granted. Live each day and make it count. I am continually amazed when I read more about God’s grace and what it means for me and to HIM. Thanks for a great reminder Lisa.
Yes, I *hopefully* have learned from this to not put off establishing new friendships. So much grace needed and accepted as we learn these lessons….
Hi Lisa! Oh boo…how sad that you didn’t have time to get to know Kirsten better. Of course, God had his plans and they are good ones, but it does seem like an opportunity that was missed. Maybe the Lord just wanted you to know her so you could pray for her move, and for her family.
I LOVE the idea of the wooden cup to take home. That would make me think every day that I saw it. What a Savior truly does. What Jesus saved us from. I think I’ll remember that image for a long time.
Happy Easter to you and yours!
Ceil
I agree with you, Ceil. I’m glad I was given the opportunities to pray for their move (and to continue to pray for their settling in). I have the wooden cup sitting front and center on my dresser. It is a beautiful reminder of the price Jesus paid for me, and one that I will never have to pay myself! I do love visual aids. 🙂
Lisa, I DO have regrets over unfinished business….questions I keep asking God about, mostly the ‘why?’ kind…
What a powerful reminder from your Pastor’s message, tho’, and your lines, “No need to pay twice for what’s already been paid in full.”
Wow.
(so I’m in Seattle…….where’s your new friend? Maybe I could go visit her. Message me??)
I’m not sure where in Seattle my friend is. Thanks for the offer though, Ceil! I know she has a few friends there already and I think has already found a church.
Yes, I can think of two areas of unfinished business and your profound message will help me deal with it. Thank you for sharing this beautifully written post!
Hugs,
Mary
Hope your unfinished business won’t stay open uncomfortably long, May. I’m still learning how to be content with the unknowable things out there. I like to have the answers now. 🙂
So thankful that “Jesus paid it all,” as the hymn says.
Succinctly said, Barbara. Amen.