Wednesday – 7th Week of Easter

Gospel – John 17:11-19

The Big Picture!

Heiskell Hills

Springtime here in the Smoky Mountains is absolutely amazing – a riot of color and life; the trees just burst forth with foliage.  It reminds me of Sound of Music – the hills are alive,,,,

And it’s such a contrast with autumn and winter when the leaves fall and the trees are starkly bare.  But even then, something magical happens.  All of a sudden, we see all these homes and buildings across the hills, all of them hidden from view in the spring.  They were there all the time; you just couldn’t see them for the trees!

You can’t see the forest for the trees!  You’re missing the BIG picture!  We have all heard it before, probably from our parents!  Sometimes we get so caught up in the minutiae and the details that we miss the overall point!  Don’t get me wrong; the details are important!  But we also need to reach some understanding with a wider view.

Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel are directed toward truth, joy, our role in the world and the reality that the disciples will face rejection from the world.  But there is a bigger picture here!

Jesus is praying to His Father for His disciples!  Let me repeat that.  Jesus is praying to His Father on behalf of His disciples!  He knows they are going to feel abandoned and lost, alone and fearful.  And He prays for them!  To His Father!  Does that sink in? 

Haven’t we all felt lost or at sea?  Haven’t we all felt crushed and terrified? Haven’t we all felt alone?  Don’t you think He sees that?  Don’t you think Jesus prays to the Father on our behalf as well?

And isn’t that the real BIG picture?  Jesus loves us, cares for us and protects us!  Yes, even when we feel completely alone, He even prays to His Father FOR us!

 

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