14-Aug-2024 – Pursue Oneness and Strength to Overcome the World
“I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.” – John 17:9
Yesterday, we learned from the prayer of Peter. Today, we will learn from the prayer of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In this chapter, Jesus conveyed many important things in His prayer to the Father in heaven. We will study this and align our prayers accordingly.
“Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.” – John 17:11
In this prayer, Jesus highlights the importance of oneness. If we look at Jesus and God, there is no difference in their thoughts, no conflict of interests, no disappointment. Whatever is the Father’s will, Jesus does the same. Whatever Jesus asks of the Father, He honors and does accordingly.
Now, Jesus was praying for similar oneness among His disciples, that they might have one thought, one mind. This is only possible when they look to Jesus, who is the author and finisher of their faith. This is not a simple task, which is why Jesus prayed to the Father about it. We now understand that oneness is not a choice but a requirement and the will of God.
Yesterday, we learned about understanding the length, breadth, depth, and height of God’s love. This oneness is the result of that pure agape love. That’s why even the Psalmist said:
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.” – Psalms 133:1-3
Let us pray to cultivate this oneness with our brothers and sisters for the glory of our God.
“I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” – John 17:15
Next, Jesus prayed for protection from evil for His disciples. He also clearly mentioned, “Don’t take them out of the world.” This means not removing them from the things of the world, but protecting them from the evil in the world. If we meditate a bit more deeply, we can understand that Jesus wants His disciples to remain in the world, exposed to every attack, but to learn to be protected by God in every situation so that the glory of God can be proclaimed.
If we look at this prayer from a practical perspective, if there is a financial crisis, our usual prayer would be for help to escape the crisis. But Jesus was asking the Father to protect His disciples even in the midst of such crises. Just as God led the Israelites through the wilderness and wars without standard shelter, established water supply, or regular food supply, He can surely lead us through the storms of our lives.
So our prayer should be for God’s grace and mercy in our troublesome situations so that the glory of God may be manifested and proclaimed among the nations around us. Even when we remember Elijah, he was not taken away from the famine, but was kept by God through the ravens and a poor widow.
From today’s meditation, God has taught us two aspects to pray for in our daily lives. One is to seek oneness with our fellow brethren, and the second is to have the ability to navigate the world and its influences successfully and victoriously.
Prayer
Dear loving Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love and grace. Thank You for teaching us today about the important aspects to include in our prayers. Help us to prayerfully pursue oneness with our fellow brethren. Also, help us to overcome the influence and attacks of the world, and to be glorious testimonies for Your name. I pray in the name of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen!
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