Jesus cares so much for me. He cares so much for you. He cares so much for all the faces, smiles, laughter, and tears in the world. His Word is forever telling us the story of just how much He cares for us. He even prayed for us. Each and every one of us. I have no doubt in my mind that as He prayed to His Father for us that each one of our faces reeled through his mind. He knew each of our names and each of our hearts. He knew our strengths and our weaknesses. He knew we would persecute Him, hate Him, and trample all over His sacrifice for us. Yet He still decided to love us and give us life through Him.

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are n me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you know in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them. "
John 17:20- 26

Jesus prayed for Himself, for strength. For His disciples, for protection and courage. And for the rest of the world whom He loved dearly, that we may know Him and the Father and that we would be unified as one.

How can I forget this? How can I go day to day feeling as if everyone and everything has it in for me when not so long ago an innocent man, the innocent man, gave me everything. He gave me life. He gave me freedom. He gave me love. He gave me hope.

I have been feeling kind of down lately about my friendships, the floundering and the flourishing alike. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a quality time love language. I like to be with people in small groups doing small simple fun things. I like to watch movies and laugh together. Or modpodge silliness together. Or just sit and talk and laugh about "the mathematical inpossibility of getting married" and such other topics as these. I do not like big crowds or loud noises. I quickly get uncomfortable in these circumstances and situations. I like to think that Jesus was a little bit like me. He liked the big crowds more than I do, but at times His closest friendships were strained. He constantly was misunderstood. He wanted to share with those closest to Him so much more than He could, for He knew they were not ready yet. But great things became of these friendship. John the apostle whom Jesus loved. Peter the weeping apostle. Thomas the doubter. Even Judas Iscariot, the rebellious. These were friends of Jesus. They each played significant roles in His life, His death, and His resurrection stories.

I should not take my friends for granted. Even in the hard times.

And my best friend of all, He'll be there for me no matter what. He was praying for me 2000 years ago before I even knew Him. He has always known and loved me. And He will always be there for me.