God's Universe

This is God's universe and He does things His way.

You may have a better way - but you don't have a universe!

Bloody Sweat and Tears

Reading John 17....

I think about this time for Jesus…on the Mount of Olives…knowing what is to come – earthly pain followed by a descendance into Hell(!) and then a brief time again on earth and then ascendance into Heaven. The first two trips sound like not so much fun…cause for stress and angst…An angel appeared and strengthened him (Luke 22:43) and his sweat like drops of blood (Luke 22:44). Wow, I’m not sure if he was just praying hard or whether Jesus was anxious. I like to think that he felt as I would feel and how I often feel – anxious! Jesus’ earthly companions were absolutely no help…no one to talk to or get strength from…they were sleeping! (Luke 22:45).

I then look at the substance of Jesus’ prayer he was praying so hard – prays for himself, his disciples, and all believers. My prayer for myself sounds miserably small and short of the mark. One like…”Father, please help me…tomorrow is a big day…help me to stay strong and complete the mission”. Jesus instead prays “Glorify me so I can glorify You! You know better than I that this is all so people can have eternal life…what is eternal life… it is knowing You and me! So again, glorify me in Your presence with the same glory I had before the world began”    Uh, wow again! Pretty much by my limited mind, creating the world and everything we know (and don’t know i.e. space, world, animals, people, etc) seems like the most glorious thing ever – yet Jesus points to how important this moment is – it is just like making everything from scratch – yeah, THAT glorious!

Then Jesus prays for his disciples – he knows that they know who Jesus is…Jesus knows that the disciples know God…Jesus asks God to protect the disciples so they will be one like Jesus and God are One….that’s how we are supposed to be…ONE. Jesus doesn’t ask that the disciples would leave the world…only that they be protected from the evil one. That’s something I don’t think of much – how do I need to be protected from the evil one… in what ways? Jesus also asks that God set the disciples apart for sacred use…sanctify…Jesus sets himself apart for sacred use so that his disciples can be set aside, too.

Finally Jesus prays for all believers….again Jesus prays that believers will be one as Jesus and God are One…and that all believers can be “in them”. This next part is cool to me – Jesus wants the believers to know that God loves them just as much as He loves Jesus! Jesus want us to be with him and to see the glory God gave Jesus…the same glory as when everything was made?!

Lots to “hear” here.