Lent 2016--Day Thirty-Seven

Things Were Winding Down

Supper was over. Jesus had instituted a new ritual ceremony with bread and wine. He had lowered himself to wash their feet. He was still speaking with urgency. (John16:25-28)

"I spoke in proverbs and parables, but now I must speak to you plainly about my Father. No longer will I pray for you to the Father for the Father loves you because you have loved me. I'm going to Him."

"Oh, now we understand you are speaking plainly." They nodded in agreement.
"Now's the time. You will be scattered. But I have told you this so that you will have peace in me. I have conquered the world."

Jesus Prays

He lifted his eyes to heaven and prayed that God would glorify him even as he would glorify God.

He prays for the disciples who had been a gift to him from the Father, and now he  raises them to receive of the Father's love as he has.

He embraces his departure from the world. He commits them to God's grace and them to his providence. He sends them into the world to witness to it as the Father had sent him. 

Then he included us. He prayed for all those who would believe in him because of their word. He prayed for them to be united in love as he had been with the Father. He prayed that the love with which God had loved him might be in his followers and he may also be with us all.(John 17)

After this he and the disciples crossed the Kidron Valley and entered the Garden of Getheseme.