Scripture for the week: John 16:17-33
Quote for the week: “You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.”
I have a feeling that most of the disciples missed this statement from Jesus. I know I have passed it over many times. While we talk about how Peter and others denied Jesus, and many of us can relate the times in our lives when we too denied our savior, Jesus has a very interesting perspective. Those closest to Him on this earth left Him, He was at the lowest point that anyone could be in life. Even in this time, what was the foundation of Jesus’ life? The Father! Why? Jesus was TOTALLY allowing the FATHER to live His life, just as He had been telling the disciples over the last days. Jesus was the ultimate servant when He laid down His life, and had always trusted the Father with His life. Jesus could provide for our salvation, and live His life for one reason only: He abided in the Father and the Father abided in Him. Over and over He told the disciples this is the only way they will survive.
Jesus, abandoned by ALL His friends and family, beaten and crucified, KNEW the Father was still there. Luke records the last words of Jesus in Luke 23:46: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” This was said just after He cried, “Why have you forsaken me?” Yet He knew the Father was still with Him; He was never abandoned. So, too, we are never abandoned by the Father or the Son or the Holy Spirit.
Prayer for the week: Thank you, Father, for your Son and your Holy Spirit. Father, most of all, thank you for never abandoning me.
Some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.” Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.” “You believe at last!” Jesus answered. “But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:17-33 (NIV)
