Lord Jesus,
In my own agony, I can only turn to You, humbled and low before You. I feel so “wormy” when I re-realize the depth of my sin that separated me from our Father…and the depth of our Father’s love for me in giving me to You now and forever.
What wondrous love is this, oh my soul?
My sin…Your suffering.
My imperfect love for you and others…Your perfect love.
(“Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed,” Watts, I., 1707)
Your John 17 prayer for me and all Your disciples is Your comforting love and sustaining grace to help me endure my suffering in this world until the day I see You.
My un-grace to others…Your grace.
My suffering…Your undying comfort.
Oh sacred head, now wounded…
Our Savior’s prayer of love to our Father
“I am in them
and you are in me…”
Was it for crimes that I had done
he groaned upon the tree!
…”so that they may be made completely one,
that the world may know you have sent me
and have loved them as you have loved me” (Jn. 17:23 CSB).
Amazing pity! Grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!
As we suffer, our Savior prays for us to see His glory and one day live with Him where He is!
Well might the sun in darkness hide,
and shut his glories in,
when Christ, the mighty Maker, died…
for man the creature’s sin.
Amazing love, how can it be, that Thou, my God, shouldst die
Whatever You know is best for our sanctification, loving and protecting Savior
“I am not praying that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
As you sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. I sanctify myself for them, so that they also may be sanctified by the truth (Jn. 17:15-19 CSB).
Thus might I hide my blushing face
while his dear cross appears…
In this suffering, You are powerfully protecting our souls and progressively setting us apart for You so that we will see Your glory and live with You forever! You’re changing us more and more to desire only Your will and Your holy ways, thirsting for Your Word, wanting to love You and others.
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Our Savior’s prayer of love turns us to prayer as we suffer
Help us to more intimately know Your love and glorify You, Lord Jesus, in this suffering, in this holiest of weeks.
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you,
since you gave him authority over all people,
so that he may give eternal life to everyone you have given him” (Jn. 17:1-2 CSB).
dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
and melt mine eyes in tears.
Jesus, as we suffer, we suffer in You, with You, and with the rest of Your body, Your beloved bride, across all of history and place
“I have revealed your name to the people you gave me from the world. They were yours, you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you, because I have given them the words you gave me. They have received them and have known for certain that I came from you. They have believed that you sent me” (Jn. 17:6-8 CSB).
But drops of grief can ne’er repay
the debt of love I owe…
“May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me.
I have given them the glory you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one” (Jn. 17:21-22 CSB).
Here, Lord, I give myself away,
’tis all that I can do.
Glorify Thy name, Lord Jesus, as You continue to bring Your bride together, in and through our suffering time on earth. In Your great name of love, our Lord and Savior, amen.
A playlist gift for Holy Week, loving our Savior
Sister in Christ, if you are suffering as I am, perhaps this week’s playlist gift will also comfort you. For it reminds us of our Savior’s prayer of love, His amazing love as we remember His work on the cross for us, in this holiest of weeks.
As we sing to Jesus, thank Him for all He has done for us, and rest in our Lord’s sanctifying work and interceding prayers, I’m praying He will strengthen you for this special week ahead, one of loving Him.
If this might bless you, sign up here, and it will come to your email with my love and prayers.
Other resources of our ministry are below, as we suffer…together with and in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Devotional Bible study prayer journals, available on Amazon. Click for details.
Near to God: A Devotional Bible Study of God’s Character in our Suffering
Singing the Gospel to Job: Finding Hope in Suffering
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