Goin' His Way?
Easter 7b, Acts 1:15-17, 21-26; I John 5:9-13, John 17:6-21, May 17, 2015
Do you pray?
When do you pray?
How do you pray?
Years ago, when I had just graduated from seminary, I wondered about praying. I reasoned (danger alert) – if God was all knowing, if God was all compassionate, what difference would or could my prayer(s) make?
Now, I wanted to be a good pastor so, I did pray – publicly and personally. But mostly my prayers were on behalf of others.
And then Helen came into my life. Helen was a woman of prayer. Much of her praying arose out of the struggles of her own life. Helen's father had been an alcoholic. She married an alcoholic man, who at the point of our meeting had been dry for a number of years. At that time, Helen's only son, merely 17 was a raging alcoholic. In the midst of all of this Helen had grown into a woman of prayer.
Shortly after my arrival in her parish Helen approached me. "Pastor, could we pray together once a week?" I said, "Sure". So Helen joined me on Monday evenings for a time of prayer - usually 15 -30 minutes. We would pray for the people in our congregation who were ill or who were struggling. We would pray for the people in our town in difficult times. Sometimes we would pray about wider concerns. Mostly our prayers were for others. We would also seek to thank God for our blessings and some of the amazing wonderful things in the world that we were noticing and appreciating. Then Helen would go home.
But in the next day or two some of the people we prayed for would begin to call me. Could I come over? Could they come into see me? And I was blown away. The Spirit was doing something with and for others, with and for me as I prayed. It wasn't magic. But it was real, powerful, beyond my analysis or understanding...
This morning we hear Jesus praying. Wow! The occasion for Jesus' prayer is the very night before he is going to die. In John's Gospel Jesus knows beforehand that He will be executed the next day. Now, as He is sitting at table with His closest friends and followers He begins to pray.
What does He pray for? He prays for them. He prays that they will be protected from the full power of evil. He doesn't pray that all of their troubles will be magically removed. Nor does He pray that everything will be easy for them. He knows that isn't possible. After all he is sending them into the midst of this world that so often is opposed to his way. His way is the way abundantly sharing, of courage to care and advocate for others in need. His way is the way not of lies, deception or blame but of truth, of honesty that begins with the truth of God as seen in Jesus and then flows to self and others.
Jesus loves this world. This doesn't mean that Jesus says everything is OK, hunky dory. Not at all! But Jesus desires intimate relationships with people together and individually. Jesus dreams of and works for reconciliation and harmony between people and God, between the rest of people and creation. Jesus is, after all, God in the flesh. As such Jesus is willing to empty himself of power in order to move all of this forward.
Even as He prays Jesus is facing death. He is sending his followers, those people around that table out into the world to embrace and model his way. He knows that it won't be easy. He knows it will cost them – friends, possessions, sometimes even their families. At times they will be shaken to the core, wondering whether this is the way – the way to go, the way of God.
So, he prays for all those who were with him, who had been with him. And he even prays for us! "I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may 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 that you have sent me"
I am convinced that Jesus continues to pray for us. Even today He sends us into this world – to embody his way – his way of courage in the midst of fear, to care, to trust, to speak truth in love, to honestly look at ourselves, to give generously and even sacrificially to causes and people who need our help. He sends us into this world where often the darkness of hatred, mistrust, deceit, anger and violence seem to be winning the day. Vegas would get you good odds on it. Evil is winning. But Jesus gives His life to differ and sends us into the world to be different than all of that. We are to invest our lives in His way – the way of the cross and resurrection which underlines that might isn't right, that death, hatred and power don't have the last or lasting word. Instead, God does.
Dear people, even as Jesus is praying for us He calls us to follow Him. Know that He goes ahead.
Please take out those little blank pieces of paper in your bulletins. What would you want Jesus to be praying for you today? Think about that. Pray about that. What do you want Jesus to know? What do you need? What do you want Jesus to pray for, for you? Is it patience to be a better parent or friend? Is it encouragement amid a difficult chapter in your life? Is it courage to stand up to a bully in the classroom or at work or befriend a friendless person at school or at work? Is it joy or peace somehow in the face of the loss of a parent or the end of a relationship? Is it hope when we feel like you've no options left? Is it companionship in the time of loneliness? Is it healing of body, mind or spirit? Is it forgiveness... or the ability to forgive another? What? What do you want – Jesus to know and about and pray for, for you?
Now, write down on your piece of paper one word that will remind you of what you are asking Jesus to pray for you. Then put that in your pocket or when you get home on your dresser or even on your fridge. Look at it this week a number of times. Be reminded, now that Jesus knows your need, cares about you and is praying for you.
And then watch for how Jesus responds to the identification of your request. His response may come in a variety of ways. Sometimes he even uses us or other people. Notice that – and as that occurs give thanks. Who knows he may send us on his behalf to be part of the answer to someone else's prayers... Amen.