There are times in my homeschool mommy life that I seriously wonder if I will make it to the end. Honestly, there are also times when I wonder if my children will make it to the end. There are many days when seemingly unanswerable questions from my children overwhelm me (I mean, really, how am I supposed to know if that man in the picture in the geography book knows Jesus?), attitudes arise that I feel ill equipped to handle, frustrations with my husband creep to the surface, laundry threatens to consume me, the school year seems two years long, and the eternally misplaced math book almost sends me over the edge. It is during those times that I revisit Jesus's prayer for me in John 17.
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In the hours before His arrest, Jesus gathered His disciples together in a quiet place and told them of His coming death and resurrection. He sensed their confusion and answered their unspoken questions; they responded with faith, finally believing that He truly was God. (John 16:29, 30) He told them that He shared the coming events to assure them that even when things looked bleak, to remember that “in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." Afterwards, He began to pray for these men who had faithfully walked with Him, even when they were not completely convinced that He was who He said He was.
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I encourage you to read Jesus' entire prayer in John 17:1-19. What beautiful words the Lord spoke over His men. He prayed protection, unity, sanctification, thanksgiving, and blessing. As beautiful as that portion of Scripture is, the verses that follow are even better. In fact, they are among my absolute favorite verses in God’s Word.
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"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them." John 17:20-26
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It is a great comfort to me that before He went to the cross, Jesus prayed for me. As a matter of fact, if you are a Christ follower, then He was praying for you as well! Jesus prayed that we would be in unity with other believers - including my children and husband - as a testimony to the fact that He was sent by the Father. He prayed that we would know that God the Father loves us just as much as He loves His own Son. His desire was that we would be with Him in heaven to experience His glory.
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This is not the only mention of Jesus praying for His family. We are assured in Hebrews 7:25 that as an unchangeable priest He lives to make intercession for us. Romans 8:33-35 tells us that Jesus is at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us. The Roman’s passage goes on to ask, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” (I always add, "Shall bickering siblings or ringing phones in the middle of a history lesson or burnt macaroni and cheese?") Regardless of what words I insert, the answer is always the same: Nothing!
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"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them." John 17:20-26
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It is a great comfort to me that before He went to the cross, Jesus prayed for me. As a matter of fact, if you are a Christ follower, then He was praying for you as well! Jesus prayed that we would be in unity with other believers - including my children and husband - as a testimony to the fact that He was sent by the Father. He prayed that we would know that God the Father loves us just as much as He loves His own Son. His desire was that we would be with Him in heaven to experience His glory.
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This is not the only mention of Jesus praying for His family. We are assured in Hebrews 7:25 that as an unchangeable priest He lives to make intercession for us. Romans 8:33-35 tells us that Jesus is at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us. The Roman’s passage goes on to ask, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” (I always add, "Shall bickering siblings or ringing phones in the middle of a history lesson or burnt macaroni and cheese?") Regardless of what words I insert, the answer is always the same: Nothing!
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No matter what it is that threatens to overwhelm me, I can rest on the fact that Jesus Himself is interceding for me, and has been since that day with His disciples. He sees the beginning from the end and knows what is being worked out in me as I live through troubled times. I am so thankful for His heart for this mom.
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Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for constantly interceding for me. Thank You for remembering your future brothers and sisters in prayer even as You prayed for Your disciples. Knowing that the Lord of the universe is praying God’s perfect will for me word for word brings incredible peace. Amen.
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Challenge:
Read over Jesus’ prayer for His disciples and for future believers every day this week. As you soak in the beautiful, passionate words that express His heart for His people pray your gratitude back to Him. Each time you are faced with what seems an insurmountable problem, sin, or feeling remember that at that very moment, Jesus Himself is praying for you!
No matter what it is that threatens to overwhelm me, I can rest on the fact that Jesus Himself is interceding for me, and has been since that day with His disciples. He sees the beginning from the end and knows what is being worked out in me as I live through troubled times. I am so thankful for His heart for this mom.
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Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for constantly interceding for me. Thank You for remembering your future brothers and sisters in prayer even as You prayed for Your disciples. Knowing that the Lord of the universe is praying God’s perfect will for me word for word brings incredible peace. Amen.
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Challenge:
Read over Jesus’ prayer for His disciples and for future believers every day this week. As you soak in the beautiful, passionate words that express His heart for His people pray your gratitude back to Him. Each time you are faced with what seems an insurmountable problem, sin, or feeling remember that at that very moment, Jesus Himself is praying for you!
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Jen 2009
3 comments:
a beautiful reminder!
(I had to laugh, tho' at your comment, "does the man in the picture know Jesus?" Been there, done that.)
Amen, Sister. It's so good to be reminded of that because you can feel so alone and that no one understands you. But, it's so good to know that Jesus does and is praying for me. Thanks for this.
I had an old bookcase from a garage sale. I needed some organization help. My husband cut wood (to make slots), sanded, sprayed painted and nailed them in with finish nails. It has helped ALOT! I TOTALLY relate to your post. This is my second year and I feel like I have learned some really important helps. Last year I just used a bookcase and had the books stacked per child, per subject. This new idea has worked for us much better.
Wendy
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