it is finished

I know it's a few days after Christmas, but I'd like to finish the sixteen days of Christmas with a final love note from God.

On the first day of Christmas, my true love said to me, "it is finished."

Isn't that what it all leads up to? The creation of the heavens, of earth, the fall of man, the chosen people of Israel, the prophets who prepared the way, and the birth of a king... it all leads up to that final moment when Christ on the cross said "it is finished." The sacrifice has been done. We have been given the key to the kingdom of heaven, and can now freely enter into a beautiful relationship with our Creator. "It is finished" marked the beginning of the end: our long-awaited engagement period before Jesus comes back to take his bride to her new home. "It is finished" were the sweet, whispered words of redemption, my undeserved favor paid for by innocent blood. For a perfect, holy God to become human just so he could show me how high, how wide, and how deep is his love - I cannot ask for a better Christmas gift than that.

john 19:30