I have brought you glory on earth
by completing the work you gave me to do
(Jn 17:4).
Jesus looked to His Father for the strength He needed to finish the most difficult task at hand. His earthly life of obedience and accomplishment was coming to a close. And so, He turned toward God and uttered one of the most remarkable prayers of humility, honesty, and intercession.
Jesus finished what God gave Him to do. And He brought glory to God in the doing.
He completed His mission. Nothing more. He didn't add anything of His own agenda or toss in a few extra ideas offered by others. He also accomplished nothing less. Nothing. No task was left unchecked on His To-Do list. Everything was completed. Nothing left undone.
I'm a list person, so I can really appreciate what it means to have every item crossed off your list. Because there always seems to be a perpetual list, doesn’t there? You know, the things you never seem to get to. You either run out of time or energy, so you add them to that "running list."
Jesus taught by example how to glorify God: by completing the work God gives to do. It’s the same for all of us—but it’s played out differently in each life. But He demonstrated that we can glorify God with every activity under the sun, at any status level or occupation—no matter the task.
Jesus reached the end of His earthly life and was able to say matter-of-factly (not boastfully, but in genuine humility) that He completed what God gave Him to do. That is the ultimate measure of success.
He brought glory to God . . . right here on earth.
Heavenly Father, now and forevermore, glorify Christ with the glory He had before the world began (Jn 17:5). May I never doubt that He left anything undone that is needed for eternal life. All was accomplished by His sacrificial act of living, dying, and being raised to new life. All was finished by Him in the most glorious of ways.