John 17. Jesus is praying to the Father. Jesus is asking the Father to glorify the Son that the Son may glorify Him. Jesus prays for His friends, His followers. He says to the Father, "...and they have obeyed your word." Later He adds, "They knew with certainty that I came from you." I scratched my head and said, "Not!"
The disciples abandoned Jesus when He was cast before the courts. They couldn't deal with being associated with the the rebel, the misfit. We all know Peter's reaction - fleeing in the dark, away from the accusations of being a following of this loon! Can you relate? I can. But you know, Jesus didn't see any of that when He recommends, or commends His friends to the Father. Jesus sees their obedience, their certainty.
I don't need anyone who tell me how much I am a hypocrite, how much I am a sinner, how I am weak and daily give in to temptations. It's on my mind, ever.minute.of.the.day! But you know, it seems the world enjoys reminding me anyway. Schadenfreude. But when Jesus looks at me He sees me much the same way as He prayed from Peter and "doubting" Thomas or skeptical Nathaniel. Through His eyes he sees our lives as a whole, not bits and pieces, not when I couldn't keep my Lent-promise of giving up chocolate and ate the entire Cadbury's bar. Or when I coveted after a talent of a friend, turning my feelings over to jealousy and then quiet hatred. Or when I angrily yelled at Aidan because he was disturbing my selfish blog-reading time. No. Jesus looks at my, and your, life in toto.
Consider the saints listed in Hebrews 11. Abraham: he slept with his wife's maid thinking he was doing to the will of God. Oh, and he also lied about his relationship to his sister, er, I mean wife, so he wouldn't be beat up in Egypt. Noah, well let's just say incest. Rahab - prostitute! Samson - sleeping with the enemy! Jacob - lied and cheated his brother out of his inheritance!
But God sees them as faithful. He sees me as faithful, even when I don't. He sees me completely, not only what happened on July 23, 1976 or February 28, 2008, but my entire life from July 17,1960 - ?
AND that is all viewed through Jesus
through His love
through His sacrifice
through His blood
through His victory.
AND He is seated
at the Father's right hand
seated
indicating the victory is won.
No turning back.
It is finished.
Hallelujah.
Amen!
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2 comments:
Wow, Thank you Jesus, and thank you, I was just Thinking, for reminding us, me about how Jesus views us and why.
I Was Just Thinking,
Sorry about this--I just tagged you as David Fischler did me. But then again maybe you like tags. You are suppose to list six things about yourself that are unimportant and/or a quirk.
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