Christmas Countdown 2018 Day 11
Day 11…how can this be?
The month is slipping by so quickly and I am thankful God led me to share this one passage with you line by line because in the hustle and bustle that is ensuing and building … this little part of my day has become a haven.
I pray it is a refreshing stop in yours as well.
The pause and the focus shift to this prayer of Jesus in the Garden has helped to ground me on the solid foundation of His finished work and helped me keep the celebration of His birth in perspective.
I do believe verse 11 is one of my favorites, if that is allowed to have a “favorite” verse in a prayer prayed by Jesus just before He is going to suffer and die in my place…but this one is one that jumps out and grabs my heart and soul and spirit.
So today…just the purity of the Scripture before we get on with tasks to accomplish…
Holy Father, I am no longer in the world. I am coming to you, but my followers are still in the world. So keep them safe by the power of the name that you have given me. Then they will be one with each other, just as you and I are one.
Contemporary English Version
John 17:11
and The Message
For I’m no longer going to visible in this world; they’ll continue in the world while I return to you. Holy Father, guard them as they pursue this life that you conferred as a gift through me, so they can be one heart and mind as we are one heart and mind.
John 17:11
So much to love in these words…
Holy Father…
Do we call Him that?
Do we speak to God as if He is not only our Father…but our HOLY Father?
Or have we become so casual in our displays of worship that we have forgotten that Moses was told to remove his sandals because he was standing on holy ground? And this just in front of a burning bush…not even face to face.
That to see His face would mean to die because the Holiness was that intense.
Have we forgotten how to show awe and reverence and have we become so blinded by political correctness that we have completely watered down the kind of power that carved His laws into stone the way you and I jot a reminder on a post it note?
Have we forgotten that He engraved us on the nail scarred hands of His own self because holiness matters that much to Him?
And how about the assurance of Jesus that He was between here and there as He prayed?
He knew His time on earth was closing down and He knew where He was going…and yet He wanted to pray provision and protection over His followers for the in between the payment on the Cross and Resurrection from the grave.
Because He had covered them with His name…with His power….with His love…but for a short time, He who is without sin would become sin…
please…
pause here.
Don’t gloss over this.
Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, lived a sinless life on earth but would take on and become all the sin of all the world…and face the judgment of God in eternal death…and then He would descend and take back what we gave away and He would rise again…victorious.
And, in the meanwhile…while all that was happening…He was entrusting fallen mankind into the loving hands of a just and righteous and yes, holy God…to hold us by His Name until He could purchase us back from what we rightfully deserved.
Last of all we see the unity.
The unity of the Trinity and the unity of believers.
One heart and one mind.
We must be in agreement with each other AND with the Father, Son and Spirit.
We cannot compromise on this.
We cannot come into “agreement” as a church and yet be outside of agreement with the Trinity.
We cannot agree to disagree and divide Truth like it was opinion.
God is not divided in His thoughts and heart and Spirit.
And it is our business as individuals and as the Church to not inform God of what our mind and heart are set on.
No.
Until He makes His second appearance here on planet earth…we are to be about discerning what HIS heart and mind are set on.
And then we are to come into agreement together WITH HIM.
Be blessed today as you reflect on this prayer of Jesus for His disciples.
If you say you are a follower of Christ, then meditate on His thoughts toward you today <3