Think about the most important moments in your life--those moments that have defined you. Many of those moments were carefully planned--weddings, childbirth, graduations, job interviews, just to name a few. Now think of what you did, who you spoke to, what you said, what you thought, just before the moment came. Jesus had those moments, too--speaking to the elders in the temple when He was just a boy, His first miracle, the sermon on the mount, confronting the Pharisees and teachers, raising Lazarus from the grave . . . . Just before Jesus was arrested, just before He was taken away to face that task for which He was born into this world, Jesus had a talk with His Father, and in those final seconds, He was thinking of us.

The first thing that Jesus did was to ask that God would be glorified through what was to come. Then He prayed for those who would believe in Him. He asked God to protect the believers: "I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name--the name you gave me--so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by the name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so the Scripture would be fulfilled. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one" (John 17:11-12, 15). Then He asked God to give us joy--imagine that!--Joy! when He was about to be taken away to be crucified. "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them" (13). Jesus prayed for our sanctification--hagiazo--"to make holy, purify, set apart." "Sanctify them by the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself that they too may be truly sanctified" (17-19). And Jesus saw down through the ages and prayed, "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you" (20-21). He asked for the success of our mission as well: "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me" (23). Throughout His prayer, Jesus asked for the unity of the body of believers. He didn't ask for doctrines or denominations, nothing over which to quarrel--His desire was unity. His final request was, "I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world" (24). Then Jesus made a final promise to the Father: "[I] will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them" (26). Jesus knew what He would face in the next hours and days, and He knew it was not the end!

I constantly stand in awe of this Christ "Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross" (Phil. 2:6-8). And so, in the words of Paul, I will try "to live a life worthy of the calling [I] have received. [I will try to] be completely humble and gentle; [to] be patient, bearing with [others] in love. [I will do my best to] make every effort to keep unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace [because I know how passionately Jesus desired it]. There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called--one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all" (Eph.4:1-6). May our Lord be praised. Amen