That I Myself May Be in Them

April 15, 2019

Monday of Holy Week

That I Myself May Be in Them

“I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

John 17:26

In Chapter 17 of John’s Gospel, we are brought into the inner sanctum, the holy of holies, the very heart of Jesus, where we can sit at the feet of Jesus while he prays for us. I am in awe of Jesus’ prayer that brings his followers into a personal, intimate relationship with the Father. Jesus envisions his followers experiencing the very same unity that is glorified in the unity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

This is a good place to reflect on how the Christian church has said ‘Thanks, but no thanks” to Jesus’ intercession for his church. The disharmony between denominations and blatant disrespect and lack of unity within some denominations is reprehensible. Perhaps the best evidence of sin’s total corruption of humanity is how Christians sing praise to God; all the while refusing to edify their brothers and sisters in Christ in other churches. Could 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).

The way John writes Jesus’ prayer suggests that he may have incorporated the prayer into his own devotional life as well as taught others to pray Jesus’ prayer. This can be a helpful devotional practice for us as well. Here is my incorporation of Jesus’ prayer in verse 13-19 into my prayer:

“Father, Jesus has told me many things while I am in this world so I would be filled with his joy. Jesus has given me your word. The world hates me because I do not belong to the world, just as Jesus did not belong to the world. Father I’m not asking you to take me out of the world, but to keep me safe from the evil one because I do not belong to this world any more than Jesus did.

“Father, make me holy by your truth; teach me your word, which is truth. Just as you sent Jesus into the world, Jesus is sending me into the world. As Jesus gave himself as a holy sacrifice for me so I can be made holy by your truth, may I glorify you and your Son, Christ Jesus, by being obedient to your truth. Amen”

My Takeaway: This prayer of Jesus highlights the truth that God has called us to go into our world, our culture, but not to be of our world or its culture. It is our life in Christ that allows us to be in, but not be of.

Sē’lah

Alex

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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 New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.