I love Friday mornings. They are a little different than other mornings. Jim goes to a men’s group at church at the early hour of 5:30 am. I am alone. I enjoy the fire on chillier days, and wait for inspiration. Here’s the verse I read today:

I do not pray for these alone,

but also for those who will believe [emphasis mine]

in Me through their word.
John 17:20

Current photo. Jesus prayed among these trees

Let me give you the setting. Jesus had just completed a passover meal with his disciples. He knew Judas was going to betray him, and He knew what was next—He was going to die a criminal’s death. Physically, it would be painful. Spiritually, He would bear the sins of the world, and separated from His Father in heaven. For us, it’s the miracle of the Divine, giving His life for us so we can live eternally with Him. He was God, yes, but also human, and humanly speaking, He was facing something so difficult even He didn’t know if He could face it. We know the rest of the story and that He did face that death and separation. He gave Himself.

This night, He was with his chosen men in the Garden of Gethsemane. The verses speak of the unity of Jesus and His Father. Here Jesus is praying for the people who believed in Him, but also “those who will believe in Me.” Me! You! Those of you who will one day believe. I can hardly take it in. The God of the Universe. The Maker of creation. The Savior of the World. Jesus prayed for me.

In less than a week, I will celebrate with my Jim our third year of marriage together. We will toast our lives together. We will re-live the past three years. Listen to a recording of our wedding. Talk about the high points of our year. We will rejoice in each other. We’ve been so happy, so overwhelmed with joy. Yet even the joy and comfort we have in our love for one another, we know our life together is temporary. At some point, one of us will be called home to Jesus. We will experience the desolation of being separated. Widowed. But for now, we’ll enjoy today. We’ll enjoy every moment we have, knowing when that time comes, we won’t be alone—for Jesus prayed for each of us that time more than 2,000 years ago.