21 Days of Prayer
DAY 12 - John 17:13-19
13 "Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. 14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. 18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.
CONSIDER THE CONTEXT
Jesus is preparing for his final hours here on earth. He packs in as much about Himself and His Father's Plan as He can to those around Him. Towards the end of this amazing time with his closest followers, Jesus prays one of the most powerful and touching prayers one can imagine. Today's portion of this prayer focuses on how we are to live this life in the world and the power that can be expected from our God.
CONSIDER THE IMPLICATIONS
Think of your closest confidant - that person that you most depend on and have the greatest respect for. What if tomorrow they were gone? How would you feel? Devastated I'm sure. That must have been what the disciples felt when they saw Jesus die on the cross. If only they could have captured the full meaning of what Jesus was saying in today's prayer from scripture. Christ doesn't pray that we are to be spared from the devastation of being separated from Him in this world, rather He prays that we will see that God is with us through the many trials of life. He has a purpose for us all - we have been sent by Him into this world. Jesus makes it plain - the world will hate us because we are not of this world. The truly amazing thing about this prayer is the power of God's protection is part of God's plan. Jesus prayed for you and me some 2000 years ago!
CONSIDER THE PRAYER
God - my God - please don't let this world swallow me up. I can get so attached to the things of this world that my walk with you can seem so irrelevant. So it is with so many of the people I know. Yet, we have been set apart. Coastline has been created with a purpose - and that purpose is not of this world. This makes us all enemies of the world and we need your protection. Please protect my Church, my family, my life. Please let your truth set us free - sanctify us with that truth. Thank you that Jesus has paved the way with His life, His death, His resurrection and His prayer so many years ago. I rest in the fact that that same power in Christ is alive today and that it flows through me and my Church as we live out the destiny you have sent us in this world for. Amen.
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