I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one — as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. John 17:21 NLT
In the previous devotion we saw that Jesus prayed three things for his disciples, especially those who were with him in his earthly life. Those prayers were not limited to those disciples alone, but in the last part of his prayer he specifically included all who would one day follow him. In this part of the prayer he adds three more requests, all three having to do with his presence.
The first request is for unity (17:21). But we must be careful to see what kind of unity he is praying for. To be sure, church fights are a disgrace, but Jesus is not talking about institutional, or organizational unity. He is talking about a unity of spirit. I may disagree with some of my dear Baptist friends on the issue of eternal security, but I consider myself one in the Lord with them.
In fact, I am more in tune with them in spirit, than with some in my own denominational institution.
Jesus’s second request is that we may be with him in glory (24). With him in spirit now, with him in body then. What a day: to see Jesus in all his glory, all his reality, all his eternal significance.
The third request (26) is that Jesus may be in us as a continual manifestation of God’s love. In some ways this request caps them all. Christianity is a supernatural religion. Our founder is alive today and he lives in each of his children. What he gives us in this mystical union is the assurance that the Master of the Universe is love and loves me! At the same time, he gives us the ability to act in love toward all the rest of His children. This is what Jesus gave his life for. Is his prayer being fulfilled in your life in all of its six facets?
Called To Be Transformed 