John 17: 1-11
Jesus is praying. Now obviously that is not a shock. It is recorded in scripture that Jesus prayed every morning and every night following the customs of the Jewish faith. Jesus also prayed often during the day and Jesus also went on retreats for the purpose of solitude, refreshment and prayer. All that seems obvious but I think we may forget that although Jesus prayed many, many times, in different ways and for different reasons, only a few were actually copied for us. One is found in our gospel today.
So not only is it interesting because it is one of the surviving prayers of Jesus but it is also tells us about prayer itself. We could spend time deliberating if it fits into one of the types of prayers for example, praise and worship, thanksgiving, and/or confession. We could discuss its style. Is it formal, conversational or devotional?
But that is not the only reason today's prayer is interesting compared to the other prayers of Jesus; rather it is a prayer where Jesus is "praying his way in." What do I mean by that? It seems to me that besides the types and styles of prayer there are also those prayers based on those who want to "pray their way in," and there are those prayers based on those who want to "pray for a way out."
Before we focus on Jesus and his praying his way in, perhaps we need to discuss what are prayers for a way out? Another name for prayers for a way out is "panic button" prayers. When we are rushing to get to an appointment for which we are already late for and we do not notice the traffic cop's car until we have whizzed halfway past it, we may instantly pray to God to help us get out of our predicament. Lord help the traffic cop recognize that I am a good person, just in a hurry! When you walk into math class and suddenly realize the chapter test is today, not tomorrow. It is time to "pray for a way out" of a failing grade. When we get a letter with a return address from the Internal Revenue Service it is time to "pray for a way out" of any tax problems. Or when our company announces it will begin downsizing, "right-sizing," or "upsizing" or whatever else they call it. It is time to "pray for a way out" of the unemployment line. When our spouse or loved one confronts us with the possibility of separation or divorce, it is time to "pray for a way out" of anger, grief and shock.
It seems that life hits a skid when situations arise that may cause pain or fear, anger or hardship. We are suddenly brought up short. I have found that even those who might not consider themselves very prayerful or even very religious, when faced with these kinds of clutch circumstances, hurl up "panic-button prayers." We pray to God for help in getting us out of the mess we have landed in.
Now, do not get me wrong. Panic button prayers; prayers "for a way out" are not wrong. God hears them as much as prayers for us to have a quiet night sleep. Even Jesus himself got to a point in his life where he authored and offered one of the classic panic button prayers when Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, as he looked down the road toward cross. Jesus fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him; "Father, get me out of here!"
Nevertheless, if we think about it, praying one's-way-out prayers, panic button prayers, are not very creative or new. Jesus at his moment in the Garden was to the point. When we are trying to pray our way out, there simply is not time to be eloquent. Although if we are completely honest, sometimes we may try to dress up our panic-button prayers by gilding them with promises; We promise we will never speed, slack, cheat, lie or steal ever again if God will just get us out of this one. As if God hasn't heard that before.
But that is what is so interesting about today's prayer by Jesus. Instead of asking God to "save me from this problem," or "deliver me from this mess/stress/distress," Jesus teaches us to ask God to "glorify God's name in this action."
We know that the crucifixion completed Jesus' work of glorifying God on earth, for by laying down his life he gives himself completely so that the world may know of Jesus' love for God and God's love for the world. And by his resurrection and ascension, Jesus returns to the heavenly glory that God prepared for him in love. Today, Jesus is now praying that his followers will one day join him in the Father's presence to share in this glory and love.
Jesus is praying for himself and hoping that we will as well, praying his way into glory --- a relationship with God. To our eye of faith, however, the glory of the exalted Lord is already present in the crucified body of Jesus. If glory defines what the crucifixion is, the crucifixion defines what glory is.
Instead of a fervent prayer for an escape hatch, Jesus is modeling a prayer for us to "pray for a way in" to God's activity in this world and in our lives. For example, if we are confronted with the need to make a midlife career change we can pray for a way into a new possibility. If we are finding that the demands on our time are causing our blood pressure to rise, our head to pound and our nerves to snap – let us pray into trust in God's love and pray for a way in to a slower pace. If we are worried about the strain on our budget and hating the pinched feeling we always have at the end of the month --- let us pray for a way into trust in God and an examination of what is an authentic style of life for Christians and what is just "lifestyle." When we are grieving over the loss of a partner and spouse --- we are to pray for a way into trust in God for a renewed love for family and friends.
Much of life is beyond our control. We cannot run the show. But we can choose how we respond. Instead of always pushing our panic button prayers, praying for God to get us out of whatever we are in, why do we not also trust God and pray for a way into a yielded life?
When God's voice rang down out of heaven and promised that Jesus was being glorified at his baptism, some heard angel voices, others heard thunder. When our life takes unexpected turns, crashes into a barren spot, or overwhelms us with responsibility, do we hear the din of thunder roaring in our ears? Or do we hear the voice of an angel offering us a chance to glorify God?
It's our choice. Either we can try to pray for a way out of a thunderstorm. Or we can pray for a way in to a deeper and more fulfilling relationship with God, to the glory of God. Amen.
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