Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Lutheran Seminary God Pause - Moved by the Promise for Friday, 29 May 2014 - Read John 17:1-11

Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Lutheran Seminary God Pause - Moved by the Promise for Friday, 29 May 2014 - Read John 17:1-11
 Jesus said these things, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may also glorify you; 2 even as you gave him authority over all flesh, he will give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ. 4 I glorified you on the earth. I have accomplished the work which you have given me to do. 5 Now, Father, glorify me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world existed. 6 I revealed your name to the people whom you have given me out of the world. They were yours, and you have given them to me. They have kept your word. 7 Now they have known that all things whatever you have given me are from you, 8 for the words which you have given me I have given to them, and they received them, and knew for sure that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I don’t pray for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All things that are mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them through your name which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are.(World English Bible)
Today is the 50th anniversary of my marriage to Mary Quam, my best friend. What a weekend that was, getting married on Saturday, May 30, and then graduating from Luther Seminary on Sunday, May 31!
The gospel reading for this week comes at the end of Jesus' farewell speeches to his Apostles in the Gospel of John. Luke's gospel tells us that, in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Yet, not my will but yours be done" (Luke 22:42).
How do we discern the will of God in making life's decisions, whether that be about the spouse we will marry or about what vocation we will choose? God works through the ordinary events of our lives. Discerning God's will is often a matter of open and closed doors. The Apostle Paul experienced that when he attempted to go to Bithynia on his missionary journeys (see Acts 16:6-10). The Holy Spirit again closed one door but opened another when Paul got to Troas. There in a vision Paul heard the call to "come over to Macedonia and help us." That open door led to the gospel being brought to the European continent, and eventually to us here in the United States.
Thank you, Jesus, for the ways in which you lead us in the discerning of your will, for the privilege of serving you in a variety of vocations, and for the support of a loving spouse and family in whatever direction we have been led. Amen.
Selmer "Sam" Hatlestad
Watertown, S.D. 
Master of Divinity , 1964
John 17:1 After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you,
2 since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
3 And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
4 I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do.
5 So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.
6 "I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
7 Now they know that everything you have given me is from you;
8 for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.
9 I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours.
10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them.

11 And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.(New Revised Standard Version)
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