Daily Meditation - Tuesday 6May 2008 - 7th Week Easter - THE LORD GIVES IN ORDER THAT IT MAY BE GIVEN

[BarbaraTherese]

Acts 20:17-27
Psalm 68:10-11, 20-21
John 17:1-11

Meditation
wau.org/meditations/meditations.asp?month=5&day=6&year=2008&x=15&y=5

Jesus’ prayer describes a beautiful flow of life and love back and forth between the Father and the Son. “Give glory to your Son”— not for himself but “so that your Son may glorify you” (John 17:1). “I glorified you on earth,” Jesus prays, “Now glorify me,
Father” (17:4-5).

Life, love, knowledge, wisdom, authority, glory, everything: The Father pours it out to Jesus, and Jesus pours it back to the Father. As a child pours water from one cup to another and back again, so the Father and the Son do with all the treasures of their being.

• This would be little more than a fascinating theory if it weren’t for the fact that we ourselves are included in this outpouring.
• We are, so to speak, another “cup” made to receive—
• and return—what the Father and Son pour out!
• We are those Jesus refers to saying, “They belonged to you, and you gave them to me” (John 17:6).
• We are the blessed ones of whom Jesus tells the Father: “They are yours, and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine” (17:9-10).
• God pours his life into us; we pour it back.

How do we receive what the Father and the Son want to pour into us?

• Spend time with the Lord. It’s that simple!
• Talk to him about your fears and desires;
• what’s important to you;
• what makes you happy or worried.
• Ask questions and listen.
• He will answer—through a word in Scripture, or perhaps a thought that forms in your mind.
• Rest quietly in his presence, at home or in church, content just to be with him.
• Give him time to pour out the good things he has for you today.

Then pour back to him, through praise, worship

, and obedience.

• Tell your Father what you’re thankful for
• or how great and awesome Jesus is.
• Recount what he has done for you, perhaps by reading a psalm aloud (Psalm 68, 98, 105).

*** Give away what you have received from the Father***:

• Has he shown you mercy or been patient with you?
• Be patient or merciful to someone else.
• Have you known his love particularly?
• Shower it on someone today!
  “Father, I want you to be glorified in me today.
  Fill my heart with gladness for your blessings,
  so that I pour it back to you in praise,
  and out to others as well.
  May we all come to live in your presence!”