Jesus Christ's high priestly prayer

 

„These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” (John 17:1-5, KJV) 

What did Jesus do? He made known the name of God, especially the meaning of it, so that through the love of Christ they might feel the nearness of God's love [God with us]; those whom the Father gave to him he saved by teaching, by the giving of the Word; he consecrated himself for them, that they also might be sanctified; He prayed for them, and for those who through the word of his followers would come to faith in him; that they all might be gloriously united in the love which proceeds from the Father, which is a witness to the world, that in Jesus they all may be as Jesus is in the Father. 

For to be in union with God is the purposeful function of the universe and of human existence. And what did Jesus ask in return? He did not desire any medal, any extra prize, any rank that would elevate him above all else. He longed to be back in the lap of the Father, in the warmth, in the protection of the loving kindness, in the mercy of the caring, in the honoured attention of his approving smile. For the greatest glory is to be near God.

- When you are doing good and enriching the near and far members of your community, protecting the environment, being kind to animals, or using your knowledge for the benefit of humanity, do you crave some extra accolade, some special status, power, fame, glory above all else? You may have missed the point of your existence.

Rather, seek and find harmony in the proximity of God and Jesus, and you will know and feel that you have reached your goal and the meaning of your life will be the happiness of which God is the rocker in unbreakable unity and in eternity fulfilled in love.