JOHN 11:47-54 (CEV) Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called the council together and said, “What should we do? This man is working a lot of miracles.  If we don't stop him now, everyone will put their faith in him. Then the Romans will come and destroy our temple and our nation.” One of the council members was Caiaphas, who was also high priest that year. He spoke up and said, “You people don't have any sense at all!  Don't you know it is better for one person to die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed?”  Caiaphas did not say this on his own. As high priest that year, he was prophesying that Jesus would die for the nation. Yet Jesus would not die just for the Jewish nation. He would die to bring together all of God's scattered people.  From that day on, the council started making plans to put Jesus to death. Because of this plot against him, Jesus stopped going around in public. He went to the town of Ephraim, which was near the desert, and he stayed there with his disciples.

God, it’s incredible how Your hands guide us. Even when we don’t realize it, Your will is always done. Thank You for caring about us and investing in each one of us and our stories so much. In Your name, Amen.