It Is Finished

It is finished! There is a saying that goes "A Mother's work is never done!" And I say "Amen" to that! No sooner do you finish doing dishes...there's a glass in the sink. When you wash all the clothes, fold them...perhaps even iron (you remember that thing you plug in, gets hot and you press down on those wrinkled clothes??), it seems the hamper is full again. But it doesn't stop with housework! It extends to every area of our lives. There is always the next task that needs to get done.

This is even true in ministry. Since becoming the Intake Manager in February, I have truly come to see the demands of being a part of an addictions ministry. While serving in the Women's Ministry was also demanding, the intake office demands so much more. First, I have to say that I love being a part of the Colony of Mercy. I have never felt so much in the center of God's will for my life. But whew! It sure is a busy office! I like being very conscientious, keeping on top of things, making sure all the tasks that need to be completed are.

As I began my new position in the intake office....I was falling short of getting "everything" finished. I was getting very frustrated and upset...my ducks just weren't all in a row and I wasn't happy about it! One morning a very wise chaplain...Jim Freed...shared some words of Jesus from Scripture that I have tried to hold in my heart and keep in the front of my mind at all times. In the Gospel of John the 17th chapter, Jesus is preparing Himself through prayer for the suffering that lay just ahead. In verses 1-5 Jesus is praying for Himself and in verse 4 says "I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do."

But wait a minute! There were still so many hungry people, so many sick and dying, so many poor, so many suffering people...so many souls to save. He had only been in ministry for three years and there was still so much work to do. Yet, Jesus said He finished the work God had given Him to do AND had brought glory to His Father through it all. Did you ever wonder, why just three years?...why not ten or twenty?...He could have done so much more.

Our Father God doesn't expect me or you to do it all or finish it all. Jesus rested in the fact that while He was on earth, ministering for three years, everything He did brought glory to His Father. How can I think I can do more, finish every task? But with each phone call, each intake, each unexpected task, if I am bringing glory to God through it, then and only then have I finished all the tasks before me. My prayer for me and for you is that we do ALL for the glory of God and not worry about completing it ALL.

Mary Ann Kiernan and John have been married for 35 years, have 2 grown/married sons and are the proud grandparents of two grandsons. She serves at America's Keswick as a Biblical Counselor and also as Intake Coordinator for the Colony of Mercy. Her life verse is Romans 8:28.