“The time has come,” the Walrus said, “to talk of many things:…”
Lewis Carroll
And if we were having a conversation over some coffee and cake (hint hint) that is precisely what would happen. We would have a conversation; maybe about the weather, the coronation, a television drama, … all sorts.
Some of us find it easy to converse, some of us find it more difficult and communicate in other ways. Some of us are good at listening and for some of us it “goes in one ear and out the other”.
But, how do we pray?
There are many different ways we can pray, but ultimately, if we think about it, prayer is just the same as that conversation over coffee … isn’t it?
If not why not?
We have the opportunity to talk to God about anything and everything; and not just when we’re worried or in need or when things aren’t going as we’d like but also when we’re thankful, joyful and when things are going well.
We can do a lot of talking to God but we need to remember to listen as well. If we are honest none of us listen as much as we should.
Prayer is vitally important in our lives. An oft repeated quote “seven days without prayer makes one week (weak!)”.
Today’s Gospel reading is part of one of Jesus’s longest prayers.
In short it summarises Jesus’s relationship with the Father and the relationship He wanted His disciples to have with Himself and the Father.
Like the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) this prayer is in three sections.
- Jesus prays for Himself
- Jesus prays for His disciples
- Jesus prays for all believers past, present and future
Despite us having celebrated Jesus’s Ascension on Thursday, this prayer passage takes place before His arrest. But it is significant because it becomes Jesus’s evaluation of the purpose of His life, death, resurrection and ascension.
God’s glory and Jesus’s glory are one and the same. Through the death of Jesus God is glorified and all believers receive eternal life.
Eternal life is knowing the one true God; being in a living fellowship with God. And this life we receive when we accept Jesus into our hearts and lives. Jesus’s purpose, His mission, is salvation.
Jesus prays with great concern for His disciples. He was not concerned about Himself – He knew God’s plan, He knew He had to suffer and die to be victorious. Jesus’s victory was unquestionable. The disciples were just like us. They were not infallible. Jesus had predicted the disciples would desert Him. And so He prayed for them, that they would be kept safe and protected by the Father’s power and that they would fulfil their future ministry. The disciples were about to be tested and Jesus prayed that this would not separate them from Himself or from each other.
Again, like the Three-in-one, Jesus mentions three things about His disciples:
- They had accepted His teaching
- They had accepted the knowledge that Jesus is the Son of God
- They believed
Jesus prayed that the world would stop being opposed to God.
“All I have is Yours and all You have is Mine.” Jesus has equality with the Father.
He prays that, as He and God are one, the disciples and believers will remain as one.
In unity.
Not divided.
Division is the result of the failures of Christians.
God is awe-inspiring and loving. Jesus’s prayer is an outpouring of love and concern.
Jesus was shortly returning to the Father and to the glory He has before the world began. He had completed His mission. The Holy Spirit had been promised. With the help of the Holy Spirit it is now our turn.
Our mission, if we choose to accept it, is to bring glory to God through all we do in His name.
Are we ready?
Do we accept this mission?
Just because 