By the time you see this it may be after the fact, but I pray the celebration of Jesus' resurrection has brought a renewed sense of your own. You may not feel like it, but it doesn't change the Truth: When you began a relationship with Jesus you were brought to life as an entirely new amazing creation, full of possibilities, full of a meaningful life, for all eternity. My hope is that we can all RISE UP and realize this for ourselves more and more.
By the way, last month's post about being Transformed in Transition was "part one" and it certainly resonated. I heard from so many who are right there in liminal space - at work, with family, finding purpose in retirement, and so on. Be encouraged that you are not alone and we are staying the course together - waiting to see how powerfully God moves IN us as we continue to lean on Him. There still is a Part-Two coming, but maybe think of this as Part 1.5, coming on the heels of Holy Week.
Jesus' encouragement in John 16
As I revisited Jesus' final days this week, I was first struck by the encouragement Jesus gives to the disciples that remains true for us today. For example:
22 "Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy." No matter what you're facing right now, you will rejoice again. Ps 27:13
32 “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me." Neither are you alone. He is always with you. Deut 31:8
33 “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.” And because we are now in Him, not only can we have peace, in the midst of trouble, but we are overcomers! Rom 8:37
And His Intercession in John 17
Then comes one of Jesus' longest recorded prayers and some of His last words just before He's arrested. Here, He prays for Himself, then His disciples and all future Christians. Somehow this hit me different this time. I love how you can read the same scripture for years and then one day, Holy Spirit smacks you with beautiful new revelation. There is so much in this prayer. I would invite you to read it again with fresh eyes; and I pray it will ignite your own hope wherever you are in transition.
First, just the fact that He prayed for others so fervently when it was He himself who was facing imminent pain, torture, and death is such a powerful reminder. Lord, grow my own ability to think of others with that kind of selfless love.
But the revelation for me came when I meditated on the fact that He specifically had me - and you - in mind when He prayed for all who would follow Him. The bible is full of reminders of His personal love for each of us. One of my favorites is in Isaiah:
“See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands." Isaiah 49:16
Think about that. Jesus, the risen King of all eternity, was thinking of and interceding for YOU to the Father. He's not some impersonal being and you're not some cog in the wheel. He is intimately, deeply involved and concerned about you, your life, your safety, your JOY.
Why else were individuals created, but that God, loving all infinitely, should love each differently?
C. S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain
I decided to make this more real for myself. So I meditated on that chapter, inserting my own name, and imagining Him there in the Upper Room, maybe on His knees, maybe still reclining at the table, just having a conversation with God.
Jesus praying for me...
11 "Maggie is still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect her by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that she and all who believe in me may be one as we are one."
13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that Maggie may have the full measure of my joy within her."
And so on.
Powerful. Neuroscience has confirmed what the bible teaches so readily: What we experience in our imagination becomes real to us and can significantly change our perception - of ourselves, God, and others. So using our imagination with scripture brings it - and us - to life!
When our imagination is coupled with Truth, it becomes a powerful tool for transformation. **
I have copied some of the prayer below - just insert your own name where prompted. And I lead you through an audio exercise here. It's not fancy, but I trust Holy Spirit can work in it for you. Before you engage with it, settle in a quiet space and ask Him to take over your imagination so you can experience HIM in a deeper way.
...and for you.
11 "_______ is still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect her by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that _______ and all who believe in me may be one as we are one."
13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that _______ may have the full measure of my joy within her/him."
22 "I have given __________ and all who believe in me the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one -- 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
24 “Father, I want _________ 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.
25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and __________ knows that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to ________, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in ________ and that I myself may be also.”
I pray you know and experience Jesus' love for you in greater and greater measure this day.
Have a blessed Easter and know that I'm
Celebrating YOU, with Jesus!
Maggie. 💜
** Read more about Ignation Spirituality and the use of imagination in scripture here.