The Challenge --- Day 164

Today's Scripture: John 17
[Click the reference above to read online... or open up your Bible...]

"Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son

that the Son may glorify you..."

John 17:1

God the Father glorifies God the Son, so God the Son may glorify God the Father.

To glorify is to cause someone to have glorious greatness (Louw-Nida Greek Lexicon).

We've read three gospels already, so we know what comes next: Jesus's unjust arrest, beating, mocking, and crucifixion... the hour has come... 

Jesus is glorified in laying down His life for others. 

Jesus is glorified in suffering.

Jesus is glorified through obedience to the Father, even unto death on a cross.

And in turn... Father God is glorified by Jesus.

Jesus says of His disciples and those who will believe...

"... The glory that you have given me I have given to them,

that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me,

that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know

that you sent me and loved them as you loved me. ..."

John 17:22-23

Just as Jesus was glorified through suffering, we are too.

Just as Jesus glorified the Father through suffering, we do too.
Sons of God, brothers of Jesus, look like Him.

And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me,

let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. ..."

Luke 9:23 ESV

It is through our loving obedience to the Father through the Son to willingly enter into suffering on behalf of another that we are glorified and we glorify Him.

As we glorify Him, we reveal who He is to the world that they may know His love.

"... Greater love has no one than this,

that someone lay down his life for his friends. ..." ---Jesus

John 15:13 ESV

Are you willing to suffer for others that they might see Him? believe that He came? because He loved them?

Suffering seems an odd way to be glorified or to bring glory to God, but in a broken world that is the way it works.

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist,

in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder

of their salvation perfect through suffering.

Hebrews 2:10 ESV

Ask Him to prepare your heart to suffer for others.

Ask Him to prepare your heart to embrace the privilege of suffering for others.

Ask Him for the faith and trust to obey in the opportunities He sets before you to suffer for others.

Let's make Jesus's prayer our prayer:

O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you... 

I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known,

that the love with which you have loved me may be in them...

Amen.