Day 171: Luke 13:31–33

He said to them, “Go tell that fox, ‘Look! I’m driving out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will complete My work’ ” (v. 32).

I love Christ’s last five words in verse 32 (hcsb): “I will complete My work.”

• Not “I will complete My work if all the conditions are right.”

• Not “I will complete My work if you cooperate with me.”

• Not “I will complete My work if I’m still alive.”

“I will complete My work.” It’s that simple. The New International Version renders His statement, “I will reach My goal.” No ifs, ands, or buts.

“I will.” Period.

Beloved, find security in the fact that nothing is haphazard about the activity of God. He has a goal, and He has a definitive plan that is to be executed precisely according to His will.

You no doubt noticed Christ’s symbolic phraseology in this verse, as well. In a sense, Christ spoke in the style of a parable. When He spoke of the miracle activity He would be doing “today and tomorrow,” followed by “the third day,” He spoke not in the immediate sense but in a future tense. Because of our hindsight advantage, we hear the unmistakable hint of the three days beginning with the cross and ending with His resurrection. In essence, Christ said, “I have a goal. I have work to do today toward that goal. I have work to do tomorrow toward that goal. But very soon that goal will be accomplished.”

Perhaps Christ’s use of the words “today,” “tomorrow,” and “the third day” suggest three segments of time in our lives as well. Today is our now. The third day could represent the ultimate fulfillment of God’s goals for our lives. And tomorrow could represent every moment between now and then. He will complete His work in us, too.

Christ’s return message to Herod emphasized that nothing could turn Him from His goal. Neither Herod nor any other power posed a threat to the plan. They would be used only as puppets to fulfill it. When we live our lives according to God’s will, no Herod in the world can thwart our efforts at reaching God’s goal. Not a Herod of sickness nor a Herod of crisis. Not even a Herod that seems to hand us over to death.