Lent 2014 - Friday, March 7th

H. Siddons Mowbray Gethsemane.jpg

Scripture reading for Friday, March 7th.

Reading: John 17:6-19

Who you are

Yesterday we reflected on Jesus' question, "who do you say that I am?" Today I want to further that reflection. One aspect of answering that question of who Jesus is, is that our answer to it ends up re-defining who we are. Who we say Jesus is shapes (or should shape) our view of the world. It is one thing to think of Jesus as some wise person, and an utterly different thing to understand that Jesus is our Christ, our King, and Lord of all.

If we are truly living out of the understanding that Jesus is Lord, it changes everything!

Jesus loved his disciples dearly, and in today's passage he is praying for them even as he is entering into his final moments of his earthly life. Jesus speaks of those 'given to him'. Some interpret this concept in a narrow way saying God only ever meant a few for salvation. I believe a better way of understanding the meaning of the text here is this:

Those which we have the ability to influence in our lives for God, are gifts from God.

We are a people who live in the reality that Jesus is King, and to which has been given a world to serve, to love, and to teach who Jesus is. We are citizens of a Kingdom that is both on its way (not yet) and happening right now. Jesus' prayer is that we would live in this arriving Kingdom reality. We exist in a world bent in on itself. Jesus has claimed us from that bent world and made us citizens of something new. This claim is not just for ourselves, but that we would be sent into the world as people who help bring peace between fellow humans and our God.

Who have you been given? How will you serve them today?

Prayer for the Day

Father, so many messages, even from those that follow you, would have us try and forget this world, to move on. Give us the strength today to live out the fruition of our Lord's prayer that we would move into the world that has rejected you as signs and markers of your Kingdom of reconciliation and peace. Send your spirit to open our eyes to those around us who you would have us influence for you today, and everyday.

Amen