John 17: 20-23 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 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.
Glory. Jesus uses the word (or some form of it) 9 times in John 17. When Jesus repeats himself, I pay closer attention. Glory has been a stale church word in my vocabulary, but Jesus delights in this word. He takes what has been the domain of heaven and plants it deep into my life.
I’ve known moments of glory when I’ve stared into the starry night sky with no end, when I heard the first cries of my children as they were born, when I’ve sang “holy, holy, holy” with my brothers and sisters. Something shifted within me, and I became aware of the wonder and beauty of God so vast and immeasurable. It was more than this ordinary life and mind could take in so I took a deep breath and rested in it.
But here is the greater truth that works deep within me (get ready, this is rocket science), this glory exists and sings out whether or not I am aware of its reality. So whether I am hiking in the mountains, worshipping in church or heading off to work on a cold and rainy Monday morning, this joyous mystery continues. Because of the grace of God and the work of Christ on the cross, this sinner is invited into the fellowship with the Father and the Son…24/7.
Lord, Thank you. Thank you for this beautiful mystery that you have called me into. Your love overwhelms me. This is not what I deserve yet you invite me to draw near. Thank you. Just as I am, I come. Amen
Kathy (klueh)
Sixty-six books in a year 