Wow.
That’s one of very few words that was able to leave my lips.
I was stunned. Blown away. Completely overwhelmed.
Didn’t see it coming.
Tears aren’t usually a part of my preparation for Tuesday night’s 20’s and 30’s group that meets at our house.
But something is happening in this healing heart that is causing it to take in familiar information in new ways. Eyes that must have been closed tight with fear are opening wide. Something is being birthed and taking its first real breath. Awake. Alive. Free.
But I digress….
Read John 17. I mean really, really read it. It’s Jesus’ passionate prayer for His disciples and future believers. Jesus is pleading with His Father on their, ON OUR, behalf.
Okay, now read it out loud. With meaning and inflection. Hear the love in His voice. This is His prayer as He is getting ready to go to the cross. He was praying for His friends. FOR US.
Soak in that thought.
He is asking His Father to protect and unify His children. US. He longs for us to be ONE AS HE AND THE FATHER ARE ONE. He asks for protection for that unity. Protection from the evil one whose goal is to destroy that unity.
This prayer is a love letter for the disciples, FOR US, read out loud by the Prince of Peace to His Father, the King of Kings.
Read it again.
JESUS LOVES US. LOVES YOU!!!!
But wait! There’s more!
The love letter of prayer continues and doesn’t stop!
We are being prayed for TODAY! THIS MINUTE!
Romans 8:34 – Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Hebrews 7:25 – Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
He knows how to pray for us because He became one of us.
HE LOVES US. HE LOVES YOU!!!!
Read John 17 again.
Yeah.
Wow….
