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John 17
20″My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that 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. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24″Father, I desire for those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25″Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” Coming away from the message on Jesus’ unconditional love on Sunday, I kept thinking about this prayer Jesus prayed at the very end of His first earthly ministry (I say “first” because He WILL b .
e back!). Knowing this was the end of this very important season in His life, we have to realize that Jesus’ words to His Father here are immensely weighty. This prayer represents His greatest desire (see verse 24). It is THE thing that He has poured out His life, His heart, His soul for . . . that we would be “with” Him, in every way. That concept is HUGE. I invite you to pray through the depths of that. . .
However, I’d like to focus in on the very last sentence:
“I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known . .
(why?)
so that the LOVE You have fore me may be IN THEM.
Why has Jesus made God the Father know to us?
So that the very LOVE of God would be inside of us!
Think about that! How much do you think Father God loves His Son, Jesus?!? How much does God love God?? What kind of love do the Father and Son share? What kind of immense, passionate, uncontainable affection do you think they share? How perfect is it? How full of glory could it be? Could it be the very flavor of Heaven?
Well Jesus purpose was/is that this same love would dwell in US!
And with this love in us (yes, it is!), how shall we then love God? And, how shall we love those around us?
Oh, that we would possess this heart, and that we would express it to everyone we meet and every one we know!
-Jessie
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Jessie Still 