40 Days of John
Day 31: John 17:1-19Today's reading has me in awe! This is why Christmas and the baby in a manger is the greatest and forever gift any of us will ever receive...
Jesus defines eternal life, something that seems so far off, somewhat impossible to grasp, and seems somewhat complicated. And when Jesus defines it today, it's so beautifully simple.
Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent...
Just know God and know Jesus whom God sent. And I think about what it means even today to "know someone." To really know someone is different than "knowing of" someone or being "acquainted" with someone. Really knowing means spending lots of intimate time together, sharing experiences together on a regular basis.
In addition to spelling out eternal life, Jesus prayed for me (and for you) so long ago, and here it is...still alive and influencing our lives today. This is so awesome! These words are Jesus prayer for our lives...so worth reading...
9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one...
15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
Jesus is praying for His disciples. As believers, we bring Jesus glory; we bring God glory. Jesus prays for our protection and asks that we be one, together with Him and with God, as they are one with each other.
We hear that Jesus wants us in the world. He sanctifies us, which sounds complicated and overwhelming like eternal life...but Jesus makes it beautifully simple, again.
Jesus is simply praying for us to be like Him, to be sent like Him by our Heavenly Father. It's a powerful prayer. It is the prayer that defines who we are today...
Jesus takes my busy, difficult to understand, sometimes overwhelming, seemingly impossible and unpredictable life and makes it beautifully simple. And to get that, I have to know Him. And it all goes back to Jesus' prayer that He prayed for me so long ago...
A prayer for today-
Dear Holy Father,
Thank You for Jesus who makes me one with You. Thank You for this prayer that Jesus prayed so long ago that still fills my life today and sustains me as I live in the world you created.
Help me to stay connected to You, Lord, always. Help me to remember Jesus' prayer for my life and to follow Your call daily, as Jesus did. Give me the courage to follow You, wherever You lead me. I trust You, Lord, to equip me for whatever You have in store for me.
I want to bring glory to You, God.
I pray that these words of Yours will reach those who need it this day, and they will be strengthened and empowered by Your truth.
You are the light of the world, and Your Word is a lamp for my feet and my hands.
I thankfully pray this prayer in Jesus' name,
Amen
May God bless You,
*This post is part of A Mind-Maker-Upper's Everyday Reading Project. Click here to read more.
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