“What are we accomplishing?” the Pharisees asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”

Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish. He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. So from that day on they plotted to take his life.” - John 11:47-53

Dear heavenly Father,

How painful it must have been for you to watch the unbelieving leadership of your own people plot to kill your Son! The irony of Caiaphas speaking the gospel without even realizing it, must have been a dagger that pierced your soul. Most of the time I do not think of the great pain and sacrifice it was for you as the perfect Father to watch puny human beings intoxicated with their own fabricated importance play devilishly with Jesus. Seeing this now, I know that you feel everything we parents and grandparents feel when we see our children and their children suffer. You know. You feel. You understand a parent's heart. Be my friend today and guide my parental heart to trust your plans to bring good out of every difficulty my children or grandchildren face just as you knew that the greatest good would come out of the greatest evil done to your own Son. AMEN

You will never be more concerned for the outcome of your children's lives than God is.

Additional Readings: Psalm 23, John 10:27-30, 1 John 3:1-3