“Having loved his own … he loved them to the end.”
John 13:1
Prison culture encourages a “look out for yourself” attitude. You rarely trust or rely on anyone but yourself. If you don’t look out for you, no one will.
I was thinking about that the other day when I read John’s account of the night Jesus was arrested, the night before His execution. “Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end” (v. 1).
Jesus knew He would soon be betrayed by Judas, arrested by Roman soldiers, abandoned by His friends, denied by Peter, abused, humiliated, tortured, crucified, and separated from the Father and Spirit. He knew He would die taking on the sin of the world.
With all of that on His mind, we would understand if His focus had turned inward on Himself. But He fixed unwaveringly on those He came for, loving them, in fact, “to the end.”
When difficulties come to us, instead of turning inward, let’s turn to Jesus for the grace to look outward in love and service to Him and those entrusted to our care.
I was thinking about that the other day when I read John’s account of the night Jesus was arrested, the night before His execution. “Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end” (v. 1).
Jesus knew He would soon be betrayed by Judas, arrested by Roman soldiers, abandoned by His friends, denied by Peter, abused, humiliated, tortured, crucified, and separated from the Father and Spirit. He knew He would die taking on the sin of the world.
With all of that on His mind, we would understand if His focus had turned inward on Himself. But He fixed unwaveringly on those He came for, loving them, in fact, “to the end.”
When difficulties come to us, instead of turning inward, let’s turn to Jesus for the grace to look outward in love and service to Him and those entrusted to our care.
Scripture Focus
John 13:1-17
Insight
May we be filled with gratitude for His loving care. And may that gratitude keep us looking outward toward those we are called to serve.
Bible In A Year
- Leviticus 17-18
- Psalm 55
- Luke 19
