Unity with God

I’m still working my way through the references on love in the NT. During today’s passages, I ran into John 17. When I read John 17 I both lose my mind at being unable to comprehend what Jesus was even praying about, and I am overwhelmed by his care for me.  I feel like I can hear him praying for me, saying those words right now. This prayer is his dream of a future with us, and the reality He experiences. He recognizes the real struggle we have to live in His presence, and with a heart that pulls us out of His presence.

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Jn 17:20–26). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

1. Those who will believe in me – that’s us. Jesus is literally prayed for every one of us 2000 years ago.
2. They may be one – for some reason, community has been on my mind over the last couple days through talking with neighbors and friends.  We, humans, crave community.  I think it is one of the aspects through which we reflect God’s image.  Let’s take a minute though and think about our foremost community. We are to commune and be unified with God, and Jesus, just like Jesus was unified with God.  If you asked Jesus for a prayer request, this was His answer. So many times in witnessing, and/or apologetics, we think about the arguments we need to make to be persuasive.  Jesus gives us the apologetic for convincing people that a:) Jesus was sent by God, and b:) God loves them. The answer is not the Bible or Creation or even Jesus died on the cross for your sins.  Jesus says, people learn that by our unity with God. Oh, so deep.
3. that they…would see my glory – Jesus 2nd prayer request in this was that we would a:) be with him, and b:) see His glory. At first glance, Jesus’ desire to have us see glory seems selfish.  But look at his motivation, He wants us to the see glory given because God loved him.  Who else does God love? Us. Jesus wants us to understand the value of the love of God.
4. though the world does not know you, I know you – this is our daily life.  Our daily life is living with people who do not know God. God is sending us. Are we making God’s name known? Are we demonstrating daily that man can be united with God? Our goal is for God’s love in people’s hearts. It’s not a prayer, it’s not a church attender, it’s not a new denomination member.  At life’s core, God wants our love and our unity with Him to be contagious.