‘As the deer pants for streams of water so my soul pants for you, O God’. (Psalm 42:1)‘When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.’ (John 19:30 NIV)
Steve Jobs co-founded Apple in his parents’ garage in 1976, was ousted in 1985, returned to rescue it from near bankruptcy in 1997, and by the time he died at age 56 in 2011, had built it into the world’s most valuable company, with a personal wealth estimated at $7 billion. He had helped to transform seven industries: personal computing, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, retail stores, and digital publishing.
Facing his death some of his last words included the following poignant observations: “‘Aside from work, I have little joy…lying on the sick bed and recalling my whole life, I realize that all the recognition and wealth that I took so much pride in, have paled and become meaningless in the face of impending death. You can employ someone to drive the car for you, make money for you but you cannot have someone to bear the sickness for you. You will realize, your true inner happiness does not come from the material things of this world. Material things lost can be found. But there is one thing that can never be found when it is lost – “Life”.’”
A sad end to a life that had contributed so much.
Contrast that with the final word spoken by Jesus before he died: “‘Finished!’” Jesus was not saying ‘I am finished’, rather this was a cry of victory exclaiming that what he had come to do had been successfully completed and accomplished.
There need not be a sad end to this life when we face death because through Jesus’s forgiveness of humankind’s evil on the cross the way has been opened up for eternal life to be found for all people.
For a Christian, life is not meaningless even when death rears its ugly head, because Jesus is the one who brings joy out of sadness, and life out of death.
Steve Jobs was right when he said “‘true inner happiness does not come from the material things of this world;’” only Jesus brings that.
Maybe it’s time to accept the wisdom of Jobs’ final words and to check out the claims of Jesus’ final word? You won’t regret the investigation.
Prayer
Father thank you for showing your love to us by sending your Son Jesus and for the forgiveness he freely offered at the cross. Help me to see more clearly that Jesus accomplished everything for my salvation and that in him is life forever more.
Amen.
Have a good week checking out Jesus,
