Our two youngest granddaughters make Easter egg hunts a year-round sport. Whether the calendar reads July, December, or April, as soon as they enter our home, they make their plea, “Gigi, let’s hunt Easter eggs.” Bad weather? Indoors works, too.
No matter what other fun we plan, the hunt for empty, plastic Easter eggs is the priority. (Of course, when Poppy helps, the girls sometimes find coins in the eggs.)
“Okay, Gigi,” the girls say after they’ve hunted. “Now we’ll hide them, and you find them.” I wonder why they’re intrigued by the repetitious activity of finding normally empty plastic eggs throughout the year.
I suppose the hide-and-find aspect resembles a treasure hunt—the thrill of the “find.” They search from low tree limbs to grassy patches and delight in discovering purple, pink, and yellow eggs. Of course, the pitch of their sweet voices heightens when they find the best prize of all—the golden egg.
I found two golden treasures this week as I reread what Jesus prayed shortly before the first Resurrection Day. John 17, a passage often labeled the “High Priestly Prayer,” begins, “Jesus … lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: ‘Father, the hour has come’” (v. 1, NKJV).
Jesus then prayed for Himself (vv. 1-5), for His disciples (vv. 6-19), and for future believers (vv. 20-26), including us. 1
When His heart and His words turned to us—those who would seek forgiveness, believe on His name, and surrender to His Lordship centuries later—Jesus asked that believers be united as one like He and the Father are one. Then He added, “that the world may believe that You sent Me” (v. 21).
I clutched the first treasure in this part of Jesus’ prayer and tucked it into my heart. What a treasure for us to consider—that our fellowship in Christ and with each other would influence the spread of the gospel.
What a treasure for us to consider—that our fellowship in Christ and with each other would influence the spread of the gospel. Click To Tweet
Jesus prayed for our unity because it enhances an effective witness to the world. Unity includes marriage, families, and among friends, coworkers, neighbors, and church members.
Believers are to “be one” like Jesus and the Father are one. I’m sure you’ll agree harmony on this heavenly level requires the Holy Spirit’s work in our hearts. When we treasure this part of the prayer and draw closer to our Lord, He will provide wisdom for troubled relationships and instruct us in how to promote unity.
The last words of Jesus in verses 22-23 were the next golden finds I treasured. I concentrated on these verses more than I ever had before.
And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me (vv. 22-23).
John 17:22-23 NKJV
I paused to consider the face and heart of Jesus as He looked to heaven just days before men hurled spit and hatred upon Him. Days before soldiers enjoyed mocking and beating Him. Days before thorns pierced His head and nails punctured His hands and feet. Days before His mother, Mary wept at His blood-stained feet.
In this prayer John recorded, at that particular moment in time, Jesus talked to God the Father about me—one who would surrender to Him centuries later. Through tear-filled eyes, I continued to read.
The words Jesus spoke to the Father tell us God loves us as much as He loves Jesus. Ponder that. How could God possibly love me as much as He loves Jesus? “For God so loved the world …” (John 3:16, emphasis mine.)
Numerous verses in the Bible mention God’s love. 1 John 4:10 reads,
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
1 John 4:10 NKJV
Jesus demonstrated love. Max Lucado wrote, “When asked to describe the width of his love, he stretched out one hand to the right and the other to the left and had them nailed in that position so you would know he died loving you.” 2
As we reflect on these two treasures in the prayer of Jesus, we can look toward Easter with a renewed sense of our relationship to God through His beloved Son—our Savior—the Lord Jesus Christ. May we draw closer to Him and may our unity demonstrate His magnificent love to others.
As you read the events of the crucifixion and Resurrection, place the treasures you find in the Easter basket of your heart to give you a renewed view of Easter.
Which parts of the Easter story are golden finds to you? I look forward to reading your comments.
Here’s a link to another Easter post: Is Your Heart Dressed for Easter?
Have a blessed Resurrection Sunday.
1 The ESV Study Bible, Crossway: Wheaton, Illinois, 2008.
2 Lucado, Max. He Chose the Nails: What God Did to Win Your Heart. Thomas Nelson: Nashville, 2000.
I’m always stricken by my Savior’s suffering at the hands of those He came to save. Thank you for reminding us of the treasures…because of Jesus’ love for us.
I also find it hard to read accounts of His suffering, Lisa. Rich are the treasures of Scripture. I love the way God continues to teach us from familiar passages. Thank you so much for stopping by.
What a beautiful devotion, Jeannie! Like you, I treasure the picture of Jesus praying for each one of us, individually. Jesus prayed for me as He was preparing to give His life to pay for our sins and to offer us this free gift of salvation. I’m so thankful that I accepted the best treasure of all time! Thank you for sharing God’s word with us today!
Evelyn, I love the way you described salvation as “the best treasure of all time.” It is indeed. Considering how He prayed for us deepens our understanding of His love, doesn’t it. Thank you for commenting.
Treasures are safely tucked away, having been written upon my heart, sweet friend. Will store them there until God stirs me to use them in His service. Loved your point about unity in all situations and with all people. A noble goal indeed. I have learned though that desire and effort must exist on both sides of the equation. God’s blessings Ms. Jeannie. A most inspiring post today ma’am.
You’re right, J.D. about desire and motivation on both sides of a relationship being needed. Sometimes armed with the fruit of the Spirit, we can mend fences and promote unity. At other times, although we do our best, rifts remain. Thank you for your encouraging comments.
Jeannie, I love John 17. The blessings inside just never run out. So, of course your reflections were extra special for me to ponder on. Thanks so much for those golden truths. “That our fellowship in Christ and with each other would influence the spread of the gospel” and His steadfast love are such beautiful thoughts. Thank you.
Thank you, Sylvia. It’s a chapter worth pondering periodically, isn’t it? This week its meaning nestled more deeply into my heart.
Such a wonderful message for Easter, Jeannie. Your post beautifully expresses our Savior’s love for us and the hope we have in our journey with Him. Wishing you a blessed Easter.
I hope your Easter is filled with blessings, too, Katherine. I appreciate your faithful comments.
Thank you, Jeannie, for sharing the treasures you found. You are a faithful witness of God’s character. I, too, am always incredibly moved as I consider that Jesus had me in mind when He spoke those words from John 17. This Easter, I will worship with these golden treasures tucked deep in my heart.
I want to worship this Easter as you described, Annie—“with these golden treasures tucked deep in my heart.” Thanks so much for stopping by.
Thank you for your post of blessings: thought provoking, convicting–all treasures. I think one of the most treasured thoughts is how often Jesus went away to talk with His Father. He left His disciples to go off and pray. He, the Son of God needed to. I wonder how many times, I just do the next thing and put off a conversation with my Father? Jesus needed to speak and hear Him, so do I.
Marilyn, thank you for connecting Jesus’ need to pray with ours. Like you, I sometimes keep moving through my to-do list when I should stop to pray. When I do take time to pray even during a busy time, the peace and guidance of Christ fills my heart. I appreciate your observations.
I love the thought of my heart as an Easter basket with treasures tucked inside. Oh the wondrous love of Jesus! Happy Resurrection day Jeannie.
I liked that thought, too, Terri. God’s Word is filled with rich treasure, isn’t it? I know you agree. Happy Resurrection Day to you and your family.
Your words brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for these words of praise that shine light on the actions of our Savior.
And on another note, your grandgirls’ love of hunting eggs year round brought a smile. Mine are the same way. I long to be more like children who find extraordinary delight in the most ordinary of days.
Happy Easter!
Candyce, I’m so glad you enjoyed the post. Your words warmed my heart, including this sentence: “I long to be more like children who find extraordinary delight in the most ordinary of days.” Happy Easter to you as we celebrate our Savior.
These are golden treasures indeed, Jeannie. Thank you for helping us add them to the Easter basket of our hearts!
Kathy, when I thought about our granddaughters delighting over the golden egg, I thought about how we collect treasures from Scripture to store in our hearts. Thank you so much for reading and leaving comments.