Live to Love Scripture Encouragement John 17.24

John 17:24 “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” Can you imagine the Father, God, not giving His Son what He asks for? If an earthly evil father would give his son what he asks for, how much more would the heavenly Father give Jesus what He asks for. Jesus asks the Father for what would be our highest good which would also be the Son’s highest good, which would also be the Father’s highest good. He asks with confidence for the Father’s will to be done because Jesus always asks according to God’s will. Jesus desires for us, who have been given to Him, who believe and receive Jesus’ words as from God, to be with Him in heaven forever. That’s wonderful in and of itself. What a privilege! What an adventure! What a hope we have in Jesus! There’s more! He desires us to be with Him with the Father, so we can see His glory given to Him by the Father. His glory is revealed in the love that existed between them before the world was created. Get ready for it! We are going to see this glory, the love of God, with our own eyes! We will feel it to the depths of our being. It will transform us, fill us, and explode among us. The apostle Paul knew this to be true. He wrote to the Colossians. “Christ in you, the hope of glory!” (Col. 1:27) and “For in Him all the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete” (2:9-10). All of the history of the world is moving to this one great finale. “For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it” (Rom. 8:24-25). So what are we waiting for? We are eagerly waiting for the Father to give Jesus what He desires. His bride with Him before the Father in heaven enjoying the glory of God. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com