Read John 17:1-5. Circle the word(s) that stand out to you. What is the Lord saying to you?
1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
Reflections on the Word.
Summer is here! It’s time to plan 10 to 14 days of vacation! Perhaps some of us are considering driving to the National Parks, flying to Hawaii, Canada, or Mexico. How about a cruise to Alaska or to Europe which you have always dreamed of going? If the work is done and the price is right, it’s time go!
Jesus said this, “4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.” I wonder whether Jesus and the disciples went on 10-14 day vacation! Was He a workaholic, constantly going from place to the next, getting up early and staying up late at night? Even on the Sabbath, the day of rest, He was healing or speaking to people. Now, Jesus said that He finished the work that the Heavenly Father has given Him. It was not His will, but the Father’s will that was being done on earth as it is in heaven.
My wife and I just came back from our cruise. But we didn’t do anything. We didn’t go on any excursions. We didn’t see any shows during the evening. We didn’t swim in the pool or enter the hot tubs. We didn’t even go to any specialty dinners! You might be wondering, “Then…what did you do on the cruise ship? Well, my wife loves to shop. So, we shopped near the port terminals. Five days into the cruise, my wife saw an advertisement on the TV about acupuncture and how that could help her to feel better. Wanting to please my wife and be a good husband, I made a reservation for her. I could see that she enjoyed it, but she loved the shopping more.
Near the final days aboard the ship, someone happened to call me by name. It was a dear friend, Hulian. My wife and I had a great time chatting and catching up with her. We planned on meeting up again for breakfast the next day with her husband. As she left, I was thinking about gently inquiring about her husband’s salvation since the last time I met them he hasn’t come to a place of faith in Jesus Christ as his Savior. However, they got caught in a sudden down pour, got drenched and she became sick. Our plan to meet up was canceled. Though we didn’t get a change to meet up again on the cruise, I wondered, “Does the Lord want me to follow-up with them when I get back home?” I believe so.
Every day is a venture with God. If we are alive today, then God has not called us home and we have His work to do. While we may be on vacation from our day jobs, the Lord may still have His work for us to do. He may have a divine appointment for you to share the good news of Jesus with another person. To encourage and give hope to those we encounter. Don’t miss those opportunities. It’s a blessing for them and for us. For some people that we meet, it’s a once in a lifetime encounter for God may never give us the opportunity to meet them again. Be open to the divine appointments that God may have for you even while on “vacation.”
-Kingston