As Holy Week continues, the Rev. Fritz Wiese '89, senior pastor at Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church in Peachtree City, Georgia, shares this special reflection.
Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, 鈥淔ather, into your hands I commend my spirit.鈥� Having said this, he breathed his last. (Luke 23:46)
Take a look at your hands. A lot of talent and love in those hands. Indeed, a lot of amazing hands throughout the course of human history.
What mastery in the hands of those 3-point shooters who propel UConn, Arizona or your favorite team to the Final Four?
Can you imagine the talent in the hands of the craftsmen who chiseled the captivating gargoyles keeping watch high above Notre Dame in Paris or who assembled the stained-glass windows telling faith鈥檚 history in Wittenberg鈥檚 Weaver Chapel?
What dedication resides in the fingers of brain surgeons or violinists to curate such healing and beauty? Or how about the hands of mid-wives who鈥檝e held hundreds for their first holy borning cries?
Indeed, astounding wonders happen in the hands of the right people. A pen in the hand of Maya Angelou or Thomas Jefferson. A portfolio in the hands of Warren Buffet. A German Chocolate cake recipe in the hands of my mother.
But when Jesus comes to his finish, there is no question whose hands he calls for. Not Caesar鈥檚 who holds the ruling scepter. Not Peter鈥檚 who鈥檇 like to hold the sword. Jesus cries out, 鈥淔ather, into YOUR hands I commit my spirit.鈥� Only one set of hands will do!
In college, I served a couple of summers at a church camp perched beautifully on the bluffs of Lake Erie. Founded by immigrant Lutherans from Finland, the camp featured a sauna and pool, crafts and sports, faith and fun. One week per summer the old Finns would come back and try to worship in Finnish each night. I was dating a cute young counselor (and fellow Wittenberg Tiger) who would become my wife, and the older Finnish ladies encouraged me to adorn her with the phrase, 鈥渕inun kulta,鈥� which means 鈥渕y honey鈥� in Finnish. Still today, when I call my wife, 鈥渕inun kulta,鈥� yes, it means my honey, but it means so much more鈥攁ll the feelings and history of those special summers.
When Jesus cries from the cross, 鈥淔ather, into your hands I commit my spirit,鈥� he鈥檚 quoting Psalm 31:5. I鈥檓 told that when Jews like Jesus would quote specific verses from Scripture after so much study and devotional use, it became part of them, to the extent that when they cited one verse, they were really lifting up the spirit of the whole Psalm. Just like "minun kulta" means more than just 鈥渕y honey,鈥� in a much more profound way, in quoting Psalm 31:5 Jesus not only entrusts his spirit to his heavenly father, Jesus is also tapping into the verses around it.
So, Jesus is activating the verse in front of it, which states: 鈥淜eep me free from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge." Likewise, Jesus is also activating the verse that follows it, which states: "You have not given me into the hands of the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place."
Jesus knew that only his Father鈥檚 hands could be trusted to rescue him from that cross, the trap of his enemy鈥檚 hands, and reposition him to the spacious place of resurrection and new life.
That was Jesus鈥� choice. How about yours? In whose hands are you really committing your spirit? A political party鈥檚? A financial advisor鈥檚?
If you choose Jesus鈥� hands, we remember today that they might not look too healthy. Swollen from being shackled in prison overnight. Sweaty and bloody from the torture, even before they were pierced with nails for you and for me.
If you choose Jesus鈥� hands, you have to remember that they are the hands that, just a few hours before his crucifixion, broke bread and passed around a cup, marks of a new covenant in his blood, a meal of forgiveness to whom he invites everybody.
If you choose Jesus鈥� hands, we remember these are the hands that on the same night took water and a towel to wash the feet of his disciples, as he called them friends, and invited them to see a life of using their hands in creative and humble service as the pathway to deep joy and satisfaction.
Jesus chose how to use these hands, and whose hands he will trust. We get to choose as well. Thanks be to God.