Author: mary

In John 17:9, Jesus prayed for his beloved, the church. He does not pray for the world here, not that he doesn’t love the world and want them to come to know him, but this part of the prayer is specifically for the church. He knew what the church would endure after he was gone. He knew how important it would be for the church to come together in unity so they could better serve his name. His beloved disciples would mourn his death, and that would not be easy. He knew that after his death and resurrection, his disciples would endure hardship, and persecution. They would need the strength of the Lord to be able to endure.

So at the Last Supper, before he is led to his death, he poured his heart out to his Father on behalf of his children. On behalf of his bride. He loved her deeply and wanted one and nothing more than for the church to glorify God in his death. There is always good that can come from trauma, if we look for it and allow God to do his work. The good that would come from the death of Jesus would be his followers, their beliefs, and the way they glorified God in their lives.

We are the bride of Christ. We should live as though we belong to him. We should live as though nothing is more important in this world than the one we love. If we are the body of Christ, then it is our job to come together and serve the one who gave up his life for us.

To know Christ is to believe that He is the one true way to God. To know Him is to believe that God sent Him to earth. He was God on earth. He was not the king that many expected. They looked for an earthly king to rule over them and bring justice to the nations. Many are still searching for that earthly king. Jesus was a king with a great message from His heavenly Father. To believe is to know without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is king and God.

Yet there are so many on this earth that still do not believe. Why? Maybe they need more evidence. They refuse to see the evidence that was given to man through the Bible. The one book that has stood the test of time. Or the evidence that exists in God’s creation through the painted pictures He gives us everyday in the sunrise and sunset, the clouds, the plants, trees, waters, or even the wind that cannot be seen, but felt with its chilling breezes. Maybe it is out of emotion and opinions that they won’t believe. They rely on their own strength and intellect of man instead of the wisdom of God. Maybe they have a hardened heart that will not allow anyone to come in.

As Christians, we must show the world why we believe what we believe. Our lives must be living testimonies. They must show the work that God has done in us. They must be the evidence that the world needs to believe.

The message of who God is, who Jesus is, and salvation is a great gift from God to man. The plan that God had devised from the beginning of time was revealed to man through Jesus Christ. Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth was to share that great gift with man. He taught about salvation, He prayed about salvation, and lived His life in such a way that drew others to Him. Salvation was at the heart of the gospel and the purpose of His life. In John 17:7, Jesus says, “Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you.” Not only was salvation the great gift of God, but everything He had while on this earth was a gift. Jesus understood this.

Look at your life. Look at the things you have been given, the people in your life, and the blessings. Every single thing is a gift of God. The people that are in our lives are there for a reason. The things that we have been given- our shelter, our food, even the very breath we breathe is a gift from Him. If we have learned anything in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, may it be that life is precious. It is a gift from God; it is given to us from Him alone. Most of all, our salvation comes from Him. He gave us Jesus Christ, to live and die for us. He gave us the gift of His Holy Spirit who intercedes on our behalf.

Take time each day to thank God for all He has done for you, the blessings in your life, the people in your life, and most of all for your salvation. If you are a believer, He rescued you from the pits of hell to live with Him in eternity! That is a great gift!

Jesus’ prayer and words in John 17:6 are incredibly encouraging for the believer: “I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word.” What a beautiful truth! Christ’s life and death revealed the ones who would be His followers and believers. Through choosing Christ as your life, you have made God known as the source of your life. Jesus recognizes here who the believers came from- they were given to Him from God.

He goes on to say that they were always yours. We were His before we were born. Psalm 139 tells us that we were knit together in our mothers’ wombs in verse 13. Verses 15-16 say that our frames were not hidden from Him; He saw the unformed substance before it began and numbered our days. He knows our thoughts and every emotion we have. He knows us better than anyone else and even better than we know ourselves. How? Because we were always His! Before the world began we were His!

Have you acknowledged that you are His? Have you delighted yourself in His love and mercy? Have you thanked Him for the blessings He has given you and the people He has surrounded you with? Do you live like you are His? We belong to God the Father. We were made in His image, knit together, every cell, every limb, and every hair. So let’s begin to live like it!

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word glory in John 17:5 is defined as, “the splendor and beatific happiness of heaven.” It is a place, synonymous with eternity or heaven. Jesus looked forward to returning to the glory of God in 17:5, “Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.” While He experienced joy on earth as He walked with His beloved disciples, played with the children, taught the people, He was longing for the joy of the Father. He longed to bask in His glory and share in His glory. He had heaven on His mind.

Do you live as though you have heaven on your mind as Jesus did? Do you long for God’s glory and eternity? We can live on earth as though we are destined for God’s glory. The word glory does not just mean eternity, but it also means “praise, honor, or distinction extended by common consent,” or “worshipful praise, honor, and thanksgiving,” according to Merriam-Webster. Every time you go before the Lord in prayer you experience His glory. When you are with other believers in fellowship, you can experience His glory. When you raise your hands in worship, you can experience His glory. When you bask in the beauty of His creation, you can feel His presence and experience His glory.

Jesus lived a life on earth worshipping and loving the Father. He glorified God on Earth, through His death and resurrection, and when He returned to sit at the right-hand of the Father. His life, death, and eternity was fulfilled. As believers, we can live the same way. May our lives glorify the Lord; may we glorify Him in death and eternity.