This week's Paper Pulpit has been written by Rev. Alistair Beattie, Minister of Second Broughshane Presbyterian Church

By now most or all of those resolutions have been forgotten.

Last week was the start of Lent, which for some people is a time to make self sacrifices, usually in order to improve behaviour or figure – give up chocolate, sweets, smoking, swearing, etc. I wonder how successful it will be.

What does Jesus want for us and from us?

One way we can know the mind of Jesus is by reading his prayers, especially the longest prayer in John chapter 17. It is called the ‘High Priestly Prayer’; Jesus prays for his disciples and for all those whom God will give to him “for those who will believe in me”.

The climax of the prayer in v24 is very enlightening. “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given to me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.”

From a world of undeserving sinners, there are those whom God has “given to Jesus”. God, by the Holy Spirit has drawn many sinners to Jesus that he might save them by his death and atoning blood. To as many as come to him and believe in him he gives the right to be called the sons of God. (John 1:12) Jesus knows that the Father has chosen a great multitude of sinners to come to Him, and his desire for them is that they would be with Him and enjoy His glory. Jesus wants all who are Christians “…to see my glory that you (God) have given me”. Jesus wants every Christian to experience the satisfaction of our longing; Jesus wants us to experience what we were really made for – to see and to savour His glory.

John 1:3 tells us that Jesus made us, and we were made to see his glory. His heartfelt prayer before going to the cross is these words “I desire that they, whom you have given to me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory”. Jesus wants His followers to have the very best.

Moses saw God’s Glory. In the wilderness, at Sinai, Moses longed to look upon the face of God. He was not allowed even a glimpse of such glory, but he was allowed to look upon the back of God and even that was awesome.

Jesus wants us to enjoy His glory. His desire for all who would come to Him is that they would dwell forever in His presence and delight forever in the vision of the glory of God in Christ. This vision of Christ’s glory begins when our eyes are opened by God to see Jesus as the only one who can help us and change our lives and we run to him for salvation.

Jesus wants more for us. He wants us to know the same love from God as he himself knew: “That the love with which you loved me may be in them”v26. Jesus wants us to see his glory and then be able to love what we see with the same love that God the Father has for the Son. That really is something. All of us would cry ‘I can’t do it’, but Jesus has provided for our lacking by giving us the Holy Spirit to bestow love in our hearts so that the Father’s love becomes our love, and we are able to love the Son with the same love of the Father for the Son. What Jesus wants is that people everywhere would hear his good news and be gathered into God’s family and that they would get to see His glory and then savour it and enjoy it forever. Wonderful!

Oh that more people would see Jesus in all his fullness and that together we might be able to love him with a love that far surpasses all our half-hearted

human capacities.

“Oh that we may see Christ with the eyes of God and savour Christ with the heart of God. That is the essence of heaven”. (John Piper)

Jesus came down to earth in order that he might purchase salvation for sinners. All that the Father has given to him will come to him and find in him everlasting life.

So Jesus prays that all these redeemed souls will be with him and savour his glory forever.

No amount of effort on our part will ever make you good enough for God or bring you into heaven; but through trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation we do discover the grace and help that we need to be accepted by God.

May the awesome sense of the glory of Jesus inspire our hearts and sharpen our minds to live enjoying His presence and serving His glory.