Nothing Else Really Matters

March 15, 2016

Nothing Else Really Matters

I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

          John 17:21

John 17 brings us into the inner sanctum, the holy of holies, the very heart of God, where Jesus prays for us. I am in awe of this prayer that brings us into a personal, intimate relationship with the Father. Jesus envisions his followers experiencing the very same unity that is glorified in the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

In this prayer Jesus reveals his heart’s desire for his followers, and I am saddened as I reflect on how the Christian church has said ‘Thanks, but no thanks” to Jesus’ intercession for his church. The disharmony between denominations and the lack of unity within some denominations is incomprehensible in the light of this prayer. Perhaps the best evidence of sin’s total corruption of humanity is how Christians sing praise to God, and all the while refuse to edify their brothers and sisters in Christ in other churches. Could the Apostle John have been any clearer when he warned the church? “If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness” (1John 2:9).

How can we move out of the darkness and into the light of Christ? I suggest a good first step is to read and meditate on the following passage until its truth overtakes you.

“I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me” (John 17:22-23).

Does the world around you yet know that God loves you, as much as He loves Jesus?  

Can the world around you see your perfect unity within the body of Christ so that they are convinced God gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life?

May I suggest that nothing else really matters until we can answer each question in the affirmative?

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.