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. 

1 is More Than 99?

The right thing to do is not always the most logical...that is what I've been thinking about lately. Strategic planning sessions, lawyers, savvy CEO's, mentors and friends alike often give advice for the right thing to do often based on logistics...probability of something happening and providing a risk assessment. Then the "correct" answer is the one that limits risk and/or has the best probability of happening. I've given advice based on these concepts.

In Isaiah 55: 8-9 God says: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." 

Good thing... Jesus told a parable about a lost sheep in Mathew 18: 12-13 "What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off."

That does not seem to make logical sense...why leave ninety-nine to go get one ? Why be so happy about it? I've been taught in school and logical thinking as an engineer that that is a stupid move...Yeah...God's ways are not my ways... I want them to be...I want to be happy I found one when I just left ninety-nine. So often I'm busting my hump to corral the remaining ninety-nine so I don't lose any more! That's the logical thing, right? It doesn't cross my mind that I should go after the one!

I am even worse than that, though... You see... I expect Jesus to come after me when I am the one out of ninety-nine that is alone. I feel like the man that brought his son that was possessed to Jesus and Jesus says that everything is possible for those that believe...the next is my favorite..."Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”...the story can be found in Mark 9:14-32.

Prayer:  Thank you, Father that You sent Your Son after the one! Thank you that each of us can identify with that one and that we can experience Your love. Please help me, Lord to better understand Your ways and help me to go after the one....even when it is not the logical thing to do!