John 13:36-38

John 13:36-38
English Standard Version (ESV)

  This short passage captures so much of what it means to be human, what it means to be called, and how deeply we are loved.
  To be human means that we are sinful and fallen.  It also means that we are handcrafted, uniquely designed by God, called into being and intimately loved.  Jesus was fully human, but without sin, which means that he did not have our weakness.  While Peter denied Jesus and the rest of the disciples fled to save their own skin, Jesus was not afraid to stand in the midst of the fire and suffer on our behalf.  While Jesus prayed that the cup might pass from him, Jesus was also willing to perfectly obey the will of the Father so that grace might shatter the bondage of sin.  Peter's will was good -- he intended to follow Jesus, but in the midst of the trial, Peter failed.
  In the same fashion, we are called.  Jesus invites us to follow, even though Jesus acknowledges that we cannot follow him now.  Only Jesus could go to the cross for us, paving the way forward for us to find redemption  When we are baptized, we are baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus, but Jesus had to go before us to make a way. 
  Finally, we are fully and deeply loved.  Jesus knew, in the very beginning, that Peter would deny him.  Jesus called Peter a disciple anyway.  Jesus knew the disciples would flee when the Romans pressed in, but Jesus called them anyway.  Jesus knew that Judas would betray him, but Jesus called him anyway.  Jesus knew that you and I would sin and fall short of the glory of God, but Jesus called us anyway, loving us in the midst of our sinfulness, forgiving our weakness and redeeming us through his grace and power.  Our intentions may be good, and our actions may fail, and sometimes our intentions aren't good either, but Jesus loves us, calls us, redeems us and makes a way forward for us.