When I come to pray these days, I do not pray alone. With me are all those I love dearly, those for whom I pray every day. I pray for them because I want them to know the God and Father of Jesus Christ; I want them to know Him as I know Him, as Jesus has taught me about the Father He loves.
Jesus spoke of the man who found a pearl of great price, who sold all that he had to obtain the pearl. Again, he spoke of a treasure hidden in a field. The one who finds the treasure sells all that he has to purchase the field. And then what do we suppose? Does the finder of such great wealth bury it again, hoarding it for his own use? Or does he open his doors to all those he loves, saying, "Come, share with me this great wealth! Eat, drink freely; ask me for whatever I can give you, for I am now a rich man! And I want you to share in my joy, in my wealth!"
At the last supper, Jesus tells the apostles, those "the Father has given me out of the world," that He is leaving them, but that he is going to prepare a place for them. And he further promises to "come back and take you with me that you also may be where I am," for "No one comes to the Father except through me" (Jn. 14).
Jesus further tells his friends, "If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him....Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father."
No other religious leader on earth has ever made such a claim. No one has ever said, "I will come back and take you to where I am." In the beginning of his gospel, John writes, "No one has ever seen God, but God the only Son has made Him known."
From the beginning of the world, people have sought to know God, or at the very least, to appease Him in some way that they might have life more abundantly and not be struck down by earthquakes, famines, plagues, drought, or foreign invaders. Those who think that God does not care to be a part of our humanity will often turn to some superstition, idol, or routine for protection and insurance. The golf champion will wear a certain shirt on tournament days; the basketball player might have his favorite pair of socks or routine on game days. (To be fair, this may occur even when those players have a strong faith in God.)
But God from the beginning has desired for man to know Him, to find delight in Him, to live in His Spirit that joy might be theirs despite whatever else is happening in their lives. And He has always wanted us to be with Him, where He is. Until Jesus, we could not be sure of God's love for us, of His desire to be with us and in us, partnering with us in life. And more than that, he wants us to join Him in His own life of community: The Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit eternally knowing and loving and generating life. Made in His image, knowing and loving are our highest and greatest facilities, bringing us the most joy!
All earth's great pleasures and delights are doubled, tripled, quadrupled when shared with those we know and love. And nothing on earth or in heaven can bring us joy when there is no one with whom to share it! "See, look!" we say, "Isn't it fabulous!" (Enter into my joy! I want you to see and know the things which delight me! Then my joy is complete!) And how sad we are when those we love do not see and love the things we see and love!
I can think of no greater joy than to have those I love, love what I love. I want them to know the God who has entered my life to bring peace, wonder, joy, goodness everywhere. And so I pray for them, that the door will be open for them, that the Holy Spirit will grace them with His presence in their lives -- the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of joy, the Spirit of God Himself. All of this has come to us through the gift of God given to us in Jesus Christ.
I have told Him that I am not going to heaven without those I love. I insist on it. Whatever wealth has been given to me must be shared with those I love. I cannot enjoy a banquet by myself; I cannot enter heaven without those I love. So they must be with me there. Jesus told his apostles, those the Father had given him out of the world, "I will come back and take you to where I am." Even he would not return to the Father without his friends, those he loved on earth. One refused to go with him; it must have broken his heart. The others, despite their sins and betrayal, yielded to his entreaties.
We go to the Father not because we are good people; we are not. The sooner we know that, the better for us. And even if we are "good" people, we do not earn friendship with God. If we are to worship Him (enjoy Him) in spirit and in truth, there is only one Way, and that is Jesus friendship with us, His love for us, His great invitation into the Father's house, no matter how dirty our feet. He himself has promised to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. He himself will wash our feet and present us to the Father as his friends.
Fair warning to those I love: I'm not going to the Father without you!
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