Bible Devotion - 1/5/2021

Devotion - Jesus Prayer for the Church

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

In one of the longest prayers recorded from our Lord Jesus Christ, it openly reveals His heart for Christians throughout all ages.  It reveals a perfect heart that is way different than the heart of man.  In John 17, take note of what our Savior prays for.  Does Jesus pray for our safety?  Does He pray for our happiness?  Does He pray for our health? No, our blessed redeemer prays for our unity.  Our unity in Him and our unity in each other as the true Church of God.  Why unity over so many other things?  It is because there is perfection in unity, especially when the one that unifies us is perfect.  There is also power in unity, especially when the one that molds us is all powerful.  This is one reason Christ formed the church.  It is a place where people gather and put God in the center of all things.  There is no other place that gives us this option to collectively glorify God through worship and grow by listening to His Word which transforms us into the image of His Son.  It is only through this illuminating unity can the Church penetrate the darkness of the world with Christ’s perfect love.  The divided world is seeking something different and only through unity with Christ can we, the Church, show them something worth believing in.  In 2021, let’s make the heart and mind of Christ preeminent to all other things and not forsake gathering together, helping to perfect our unity in Him.  So that we, as the Church, can demonstrate God’s glory, communicate His truth, and share His love in unity throughout this dark world.

God Bless