While my
sister and I were running together one Monday night, my sister mentioned what
an encouragement John 17 is. Jesus first prays for God to be glorified
through His life and death, then He prays for His disciples, and then He prays
for all believers!
Did you know Jesus prayed for YOU 2,000 years
ago??? In fact, He took the time to pray for you and me just hours before
his arrest (see John 18:1-14). Jesus’ prayer was that we would be one in
unity.
John 17:20-23 20"My
prayer is not for them [the disciples] alone. I pray also for those
who will believe in me through their message, 21that all
of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they
also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I
have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one:
23I 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.
The
disunity among believers, in churches, and between denominations certainly
hurts our witness to the rest of the world. It is so easy to get caught
up in our own opinions and ideas and lose sight of our purpose – to bring glory
to God.
Being
part of different ministries, it’s also easy for me to get caught up in the
details. I definitely pray about the details, and desire to reflect God well by
performing my leadership responsibilities with excellence. However, Jesus’
prayer reminded me of my need to regularly pray for the unity among our
leadership in addition to direction for all the practical details. If we are
well organized, but not unified or relational, then we won’t be as effective at
reflecting God.
How about you? Do you spend more time praying for direction
regarding practical details? Or do you pray for your relationships and unity in
Christ?
You and I can pray as Jesus prayed for us, that we would live in unity with
those furthering God’s kingdom, so that He is glorified through our actions and
activities.
Alice
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