A Prayer for All

A Prayer for All

John 17: ²⁰ “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; ²¹ that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. ²² And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: ²³ I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

============

Searching for a church became a task. “This one is too political” I said about one church. “This one has a terrible singing group” I said about another. “This one is too hypocritical” I said about another. On my way to visit a church, I passed about twenty churches within two miles. “What are we saying to each other? I wondered.

• Sometimes I wonder if we can have unity.
• Sometimes I wonder if we can work together.
• Sometimes I wonder if we will settle for one person going to hell because we found our crowd and “that” person did not.

JESUS prays for everyone who believes in HIM. HE shows HIS heart and love for all of HIS creation by saying a prayer for them.

• JESUS wants me to speak unity in HIM to everyone I meet.
• JESUS wants me to believe HE was sent to save me and the rest of the world.
• JESUS wants me to receive the glory HE has given me.

Be as one, believe the FATHER sent JESUS and receive the glory JESUS gave to us, is the simple request JESUS gives. Working together to bring people to JESUS sounds simple, but I find this very difficult. I mean, JESUS did warn us about manipulators who use HIS name to get what they want, yet bear no fruit. This can be confusing. How can we “Be one?”

JESUS wants me to start by having unity with HIM. HIS peace will enable me to reach others with HIS love, not “my program or my offering.” JESUS wants my love to be pure and solely focused on raising HIS reputation as the one and only cure for every ill to humanity.

Though this task may be overwhelming in a society where belief in JESUS is only done as a club, HE wants me to press on, seeking those HE sends me to and sends to me. I am grateful HE is in me and I in HIM.

• Will you join JESUS in bringing HIS lost people back to HIM?
• Will you believe JESUS was sent to bring back those who left HIM?
• Will you accept the glory JESUS has given you so you can reach those only you can reach today?