3/29/2019  1 Comment (at the bottom of this reflection.)

Today's question:
"Now my soul is troubled.  And what should I say--'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to his hour."

From John 12:

27 “Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say--‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

Reflection from Amanda Dibbern

This seems like a rhetorical question to me.  I think Jesus must have felt very alone, or at least like the only adult in the room. “His soul was troubled” makes me think, what a gift to know that even though Jesus knew what he was doing and why he was doing it his soul was a little unsettled. I don’t think that Jesus ever imagined that he could not finish it, but the actual having to go through the experience of the crucifixion, was not something he was looking forward to.  I am also thinking about when we are so close to a blessing and it seems like we come under attack on every side.  Self doubt.  Worry. Satan is always trying to grasp victory out of the jaws of (his) defeat.
 
In verse 16 of John 12, it says that disciples did not understand/recognize what was going on.  They were so caught up in the moments that they did not see the big picture of the prophecies that were being fulfilled in Jesus.  It was only later in their reflection that they recognized the prophecies had been fulfilled.
 
I think when Jesus asks “should I say Father save me from this hour?”  He is talking to himself and he is emboldening himself.   Like, I’ve come all this way, am I not going to go through with it now?  No, that’s why I am here.
 
We can see in the verses just prior to this question that death brings forth life.  He gives the image of the wheat seed that must die to bring forth fruit (more wheat).  To me this is a beautiful example of God providing an example that the disciples and their peers would understand, but of course they miss the significance of that example too.  They were probably thinking, duh, of course.
 
How often do we think, “Yeah God, I know what you are showing me?”
Or, “Am I the only one who see’s this problem?  Who sees what we need to do?” Or, are we getting so caught up in the moments (current worries, current issues, social distractions) that we are missing the big picture?  We are not paying attention to the sacrifice of Christ to bridge the gap between a HOLY God and us? 
 

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Comments
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Irene Taylor
Fri, Mar 29, 2019 at 9:39 am
What a wonderful blessing this morning! Thank you for your words of faith and trust in God! 

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About Today's Author

Mandy Dibbern lives with her husband, David, in Brighton CO.  She has two grown sons.  Both she and David are teachers.

​David is the son of Walt (& Jo) Dibbern who attends First United in Des Plaines. 

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