Jesus On His Knees
If you want to know what is most important to a man, you listen to his dying words. The dying words of a man have almost always been given a great deal of respect. Even enemies who have been caught up in battle, when finding themselves looking down upon their fallen adversary, have stooped low with bended knee and head bowed down, gave their ear to hear, the precious dying wishes and words of their fellow human being.
How much more for us who still live, for us who have given our heart and head to learn from the Savior what he desires. For those of us who remain in this world as servants of God, as messengers of light and bearers of mercy, how much more important it is for us to impart into our very lives, our very souls the last words of our Savior. These words are so important, so impassioned that we learn them today not from a sermon Jesus preached, but from a humble prayer on the night he was betrayed.
And what is it that we learn from this vital prayer of Jesus? Is it some great dogma of doctrine? Is it some great goal to conquer the world? Is it that his people rise up and battle fiercely the foe? No! It is much more simple, yet much more profound. It is a humble, simple prayer that Jesus prays. And what is it he prays? He prays a simple prayer for unity.
Hear his words afresh, maybe for the first time, not only with head, but more so with heart, hear what he has to say.
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved themeven as you have loved me.” (John 17:20-23, NIV).
In a world that is literally divided in war, isn’t it time, more than at any other time, that the church of Christ learn to put into effect the precious words of Jesus? Isn’t it time that we work out our differences and be as one, so that the world will know that God the Father has sent the Son?
Grace and peace,
Keith at AgapePoint