Today's Bible reading is the 22nd chapter of the Book of Luke. You can read it here at Bible Gateway: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+22&version=NASB

The grace that we find in the resurrected Christ is a wonder and truth that believers glory in and stand in awe of. As I read today's chapter I was struck by the graciousness displayed by the Lord Jesus as He met with His disciples to partake of the last Passover meal with them before His crucifixion. Rightfully so, we often concentrate our thoughts on how much Jesus meant to His disciples. But relationships are two-way and I think His disciples meant much to Him. We read today that Jesus "earnestly desired" to eat the Passover with the apostles before He suffered. They were special to Him. He had spent hours upon hours with them. He taught them. He spoke with them. He prayed with them. He listened to them. He ate with  them, He walked miles together with them. He ministered alongside them. In both His deity and His humanity they had come to mean much to Him. He knew that within a few hours they would all fall away from Him and that Peter would deny that he even knew Him. And yet he earnestly desired to eat the Passover meal with them. He would wash their feet we read in John's Gospel and then He would take them away to pray with Him. Luke records this gracious comment made by the Lord to His apostles this same night. "You are those who have stood by Me in My trials". I found this incredible. Despite His knowledge of the past and future shortcomings of each of them, He would acknowledge them as having been those who had stood by Him in His trials. I don't know that any of them would have known their importance to Him at those times of trial, but He had. I suppose that we can learn a great lesson from this as we remember that each one that the Father has given Him are precious to Him.