23 - Connecting w/ God

Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
CONNECTING with GOD
Day  23 | THE REAL LORD’S PRAYER
THE REAL LORD’S PRAYER

John 17:20-23
“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 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.  “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.”


YOU ARE CONNECTED!

As a Follower of Jesus, you are connected to God … and to all the Believers who walk the planet today or have gone before.

This amazing prayer in John 17 is TRULY “the Lord’s Prayer” – what Jesus really prayed to His Father.  And the amazing good news is that WE are included in that prayer – “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.” 

Isn’t that amazing? When Jesus was talking to His Father in this prayer recorded by John, you and I were on His mind.  He knew we would be coming and would eventually accept Him as our Savior and Lord.  It was our choice, but being God… He knew.

Jesus continued: “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.”

Do you feel ONE with another?

Early in John 13 – at the “last supper” – Jesus gave His disciples a new command… “That you love one another as I have loved you.”

There are some 59 “one-anothers” in the New Testament (email me for a free list).  And the reason this is important is that – in addition to being connected with God – we are also, in Christ, connected with one another.  I see nothing in Scripture that says we should be “Christian hermits,” staying by ourselves and away from “one another.”

Jesus continues to pray: “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.”

Wow!  Jesus is saying that He is in us and that the Father is in Him… so that WE might experience “perfect unity” and thus tell the world that God has sent Jesus and loves us that much.

Prayer: Lord, THANK YOU for knowing that I’d be a Follower one day and including me in that prayer to YOUR Father.  Help me to never forget that I am ONE with YOU and ONE with my Christian brothers and sisters too.  Help me to be mindful of the “one-anothers” in Your Word and be a DOER and not a hearer only.  Amen.