This last week in my New Testament class we studied the end of Jesus Christ's life and his suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane. In John 17, he gives the great intercessory prayer. There was one particular verse that really stood out to me. Part of verse 24 reads:
"Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am..." Christ is likely speaking of us being with him in his kingdom someday, but when I read it I thought of something more immediate. I thought of the suffering Christ was undergoing in the Garden of Gethsemane and how it is possible he asked for us, his brothers and sisters, to be with him.
I love the picture by Carl Bloch that depicts Christ suffering with an angel at his side. It is beautiful to think of all who were relying on and pulling for Jesus in his infinitely important and vital role. I can only imagine how it was for us watching down from the heavens as he suffered for each one of us individually. How must we have felt? Were we there with him in spirit? Were we waiting in apprehension hoping he would go through it or did we have solid faith and know that he would?
Our loving elder brother, Jesus Christ, wants us to be with him. He wants us on his side. Just as we were likely pulling for him, he is now pulling for us. His great atoning sacrifice is finished and it is our opportunity to use it to empower us and help us overcome sin, sorrow and weakness. He is still there helping us at our first sign of effort.
Though we live in a troubling world, Christ ever gives us this comforting reassurance, "In the world ye shall have tribulation:but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world"(John 16:33).
I hope we can all remember what Jesus Christ has done for us and be on his team as he is on ours. He loves us beyond what we can imagine. He wants to help us return to live with the Father. May we all be a little more grateful for our Savior this Thanksgiving and strive to be witnesses of him in helping others feel the love of God.
"Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am..." Christ is likely speaking of us being with him in his kingdom someday, but when I read it I thought of something more immediate. I thought of the suffering Christ was undergoing in the Garden of Gethsemane and how it is possible he asked for us, his brothers and sisters, to be with him.
I love the picture by Carl Bloch that depicts Christ suffering with an angel at his side. It is beautiful to think of all who were relying on and pulling for Jesus in his infinitely important and vital role. I can only imagine how it was for us watching down from the heavens as he suffered for each one of us individually. How must we have felt? Were we there with him in spirit? Were we waiting in apprehension hoping he would go through it or did we have solid faith and know that he would?
Our loving elder brother, Jesus Christ, wants us to be with him. He wants us on his side. Just as we were likely pulling for him, he is now pulling for us. His great atoning sacrifice is finished and it is our opportunity to use it to empower us and help us overcome sin, sorrow and weakness. He is still there helping us at our first sign of effort.
Though we live in a troubling world, Christ ever gives us this comforting reassurance, "In the world ye shall have tribulation:but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world"(John 16:33).
I hope we can all remember what Jesus Christ has done for us and be on his team as he is on ours. He loves us beyond what we can imagine. He wants to help us return to live with the Father. May we all be a little more grateful for our Savior this Thanksgiving and strive to be witnesses of him in helping others feel the love of God.
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