As an English teacher who loves words and sentence structures, I've learned a valuable reading strategy: If a word or phrase is repeated multiple times, it is important information that you should pay attention to!
In this passage, Jesus has been praying for his disciples - for protection and unity (v.11). He is going back to heaven and he wants them to continue on by the power of his name. I find it interesting and encouraging that he says he will say these things while he is still in the world so that they will have the fullness of his joy (v.13). Why does he have to stay in their context for them to be able to receive his joy?
As a single person, I read and review a lot of Christian books about singleness. Some are written by happily married people who reassure us that it is worth the wait, and some by college kids who seem to get married shortly after their book is published. But the ones that are most encouraging, most helpful, and frankly most valid, are the ones written by older people who are still single. Why? Because we know they understand and relate to singles because they are there. Same thing goes for people who are in chronic pain and write about pain, or recovering addicts who speak out about addictions... we're much more likely to listen and receive what is said when a person is in the trenches with us.
Jesus gave up everything to come and become one of us - the king who got off his throne and dressed and ate and walked and learned and saw things like a common person. At the same time, he never forgot who he was or where he came from or where he was going (John 13:1). And that's also where the joy comes in. He knew this world was not his home, and because his disciples really surrendered their lives to follow him, they didn't belong here either. In fact no one, from the time of Abraham, who believed and trusted God, belonged in this world (Hebrews 11:15-16)! So why did Jesus not pray for them to come home when he did?
The disciples must have felt the tension between living in a dying world (Romans 8:22-23) and waiting for a mansion (John 14:2-3) - all of us who believe do at times. Paul puts it beautifully in Philippians 1:21-26, where he says he'd rather be with God, but he knows he must remain so that others could grow in faith and joy. I'm pretty sure Jesus felt that way too. We are meant to remain here for a season, knowing it isn't home but it is a mission field, and keeping our focus on eternity.
**Check out Connie's own blog HERE
**Check out Connie's own blog HERE