Posted on by Dominique Demetriades

Hourglasses and stopwatches.

Photo by Jordan Benton on Pexels.com

We all have a different perspective about the here and now. For some it’s the struggle of a daily existence of pain and suffering. Perhaps its dire poverty or a relentless illness or a difficult situation.

For some it’s the hope of the next good thing – what I will afford next year, the job I’ll have in 6 months, finishing  my studies in the foreseeable future or an upcoming event that we look forward to.

For some there’s a sense of satisfaction or full enjoyment of the here and now- how much they have, fame and popularity, possessions, influence and admirers.

For some others it’s the dread of another day, another week and another year of a draining reality, marriage or job- the endless daily battle they struggle to survive.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says we have been created with eternity in our hearts, an understanding that there is more. 

There are those who look forward to the ‘more’ with a hope in their hearts and there are those who choose to ignore that this what we know right now is not the ‘be all and end all’. What’s here and now seems pretty good so why mess with it or question its longevity?

I remember when we were kids we used to love blowing soap bubbles outside and then trying to catch them. Inevitably these pretty bubbles popped as we touched them or even before. What was perfect and shiny became nothing before our eyes. Such are the beautiful shiny things in life – lovely and perfect until in the blink of an eye they are gone. In the same way, wealth, fame, popularity and even health can come and go in an instant.

What lies beyond the stuff we carry in our perfectly orchestrated or severely flawed lives?

That for me is where the hope of an eternity is a reminder of how temporary our lives and our pleasures here on earth are. 

In the well known song by Queen”Who wants to live forever “ there’s a line that says “What is this thing that builds our dreams, yet slips away from us?”

I was reminded a few days ago of the suffering my mom endured for the past 7 years. 

For those 7 years it seemed like an eternity. Day in and day out she got weaker and more confused. Her physical and mental condition got so bad that that’s what we focused on. We forgot the beautiful and vibrant woman she was before and wondered if this would ever end. And then suddenly it was over and we could reminisce about the good old days before Illness took over.  What seemed like a lifetime of bad health at the time now seems like a blink of an eye. Her focus was always on her eternity. She didn’t live in terrible fear of what would happen here but looked past the worst possibilities to a glorious future that was promised to her. 

Some worship the god of ‘ME’ and some look to the God of forever. 

Whoever is on your altar, tomorrow is a sure thing. Make sure your worship is wisely directed. After all your future depends on it!

“I am convinced that any suffering we endure is less than nothing compared to the magnitude of glory that is about to be unveiled within us. All creation longs for freedom from its slavery to decay and to experience with us the wonderful freedom coming to God’s children. Troubles, pressures, and problems are unable to come between us and heaven’s love. What about persecutions, deprivations, dangers, and death threats? No, for they are all impotent to hinder omnipotent love, So now I live with the confidence that there is nothing in the universe with the power to separate us from God’s love. I’m convinced that his love will triumph over death, life’s troubles, fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens. There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love.” Romans 8:18, 21, 35, 38 TPT

“He has set the right time for everything. He has given us a desire to know the future, but never gives us the satisfaction of fully understanding what he does.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 GNT

Posted on by Dominique Demetriades · 1 Comment

Good Friday thoughts

Imagine a list of every single sin, every crime, every stronghold, every disease, every condition of the body, mind and spirit of all mankind from Adam to the very last person to walk this earth.

Now imagine one person taking all that on Himself.

To die on a cross in the time of Jesus was the cruelest and most torturous death that could ever be imagined. There was no respite from the agony until death finally took its trophy.

Now imagine a person being beaten , flogged until his skin came off in shreds, mocked, spat on and to top it all, having long thick thorns pressed down on his head until even that was bleeding profusely, probably dripping in his eyes blocking his vision. Then imagine walking up a rocky path to the top of the hill carrying a cross that weighed at least 40kg if He only carried the crossbar and up to 140kg if He was made to carry the whole cross. 

Once He was at the top the nails and the heavy hammer would come out. Each one between 12-18cm in length. They tapered to a sharp spike which was hammered into the victims hands and feet to make sure He was securely attached to the cross. The position of the arms stretched out and the chest dropping made every breath excruciatingly difficult. He would have had to try and raise himself up on his nailed feet to breath.

Imagine the horror of knowing as God Himself that this could and would go on for many excruciating hours until death mercifully took Him.

This victim knew no sin and had committed no crime and yet He let it go on and on until Hell had wrung out its very last bit of poison.

As each and every sin of each and every human ever created was put on Him,I am sure he asked “What else is there?”

For every crime and every disease put on Him, He would probably have asked this. Over and Over again. 

Hell rejoiced as His body weakened with every one of the sentences he bore. 

Adultery? Got it. Tetelestai. It is FINISHED.

Fraud? Got it. Tetelestai. It is FINISHED.

Lying? Got it. Tetelestai. It is FINISHED

Mockery? Got it. Tetelestai. It is FINISHED

Pornography? Got it. Tetelestai.It is FINISHED.

Theft? Got it. Tetelestai. It is FINISHED.

Murder? Got it. Tetelestai. It is FINISHED.

Rape? Got it. Tetelestai. It is FINISHED

Pride? Got it. Tetelestai.It is FINISHED

Self-righteousness? Got it. Tetelestai.It is FINISHED

Cancer? Got it. Tetelestai. It is FINISHED.

Alzheimer’s? Got it. Tetelestai. It is FINISHED

Motor Neuron Disease? Got it. Tetelestai. It is FINISHED.

Multiple Sclerosos? Got it. Tetelestai. It is FINISHED.

On and on the list went. Hell kept going back to see if they could come up with some more.

When they had fully wrung out every rag of sin, sought out every little crumb of filth and foulness and exposed every lie and deception Jesus cried out aloud IT IS FINISHED! I believe it was the endless lists of everything that Hell and its demons celebrate that had finally been exhausted and the Son of God dropped His chin and breathed His last breath.

Hell was emptied of every cache it had and the victory was about to be won 100-0. The temple curtain tore in two from the top to the bottom and the earth shook violently as God watched and was pleased. There could never be another filthy act or another devastating disease or condition that could steal eternity with the Father from anyone again. Accountability had been taken for each one.

Who is this man that He would do for us what nothing or nobody else could achieve for us?

What kind of love is this that He would die on behalf of each of us? Carry our strongholds, our arrogance and our denial of Him? How could He still love me after all that?

He left no stone unturned in paying for our redemption. No shortcut to weave him through the indescribable agony. He went the long way to ensure for once and for all that it really was finished.

The grave no longer had the victory and death no longer had its sting.

It was indeed finished. We get to choose to walk in freedom,sentence cancelled and case dropped.

Consider today that Tetelestai was for you.