John 17:20-26
If prayer is authentic surely it must express that thing within us that is the most prominent, the most important of our heart’s desires. When I read this passage which is Jesus’ final prayer before Judas betrays Him, I thought I was likely reading the fullest expression of God’s core heart desire. It caused me to pause and pray myself that my heart would be responsive as I peered in upon something so beautiful and holy as the refined passion and intent of God’s own heart.
Jesus begins by making it clear that He is praying for you and I. With yearning He asks God to reveal to us the glorious nature of love that was shared among the Godhead before creation. With a sense of urgency He goes further; He prays that all those of us who have been given to Him would not only witness this love but experience it and the unity that attends it –
that they (which is us) would all be one“.
He elaborates on unity with these words;
Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee“; I in them and Thou in Me.
When we think of unity, we might think of doctrinal harmony or we may be drawn to the idea of various church “joint-ventures” where resources are combined to meet a need in the community. I thank God for these small beginnings. But without taking anything away from them, I do think when Jesus’ prayer is answered it will look like these gatherings plus much much more.
The reason for my confidence has to do with the “in” word. I want to honor the work of Christ that has transpired so far in the earth but I must confess I see a day coming when the implications to us of being in-Christ and Him in-dwelling us, works itself out in a way that will be so spectacular it will eclipse by far anything we have seen to date. I am envisioning the day that this final prayer of Jesus, “that the world may know and believe” is answered. It is OK to me that I have not yet seen anything so dramatic. That Jesus Himself has made the request assures me this day will come. The only question is “when” ?
If I am dreaming in the right direction; in the direction of Jesus own prayers, I can envision the Bride of Christ awakening to the valid notion that her destiny is not just decay or indifference, which in her slumber, she had learned to call normal. Perhaps she will hear those kind words that are spoken to her in her wilderness. Perhaps she will respond to His invitation to come away to that place where she can be alone with Him. Perhaps those words will awaken something that God has destined (or pre-destined if you prefer) to ignite a rightful and normative engagement with His great heart.
I believe Christ in us, is the basis for that kind of glorious hope. A representative of the Godhead indwells us by His Holy Spirit. My heart tells me we have not yet seen the fullest implication of this fact. OK…so what good is this grandiose thinking? What do I have to do with some future-possible dispensation that may be slated eschatologically downstream somewhere? Maybe nothing – yet maybe everything. Awakenings and revivals begin in human hearts. What if individual members in Christ’s body were to invite Jesus to launch the next great revival in their own hearts and begin taking responsibility for their hearts by getting alone with HIm and praying in harmony with Jesus’ stated intentions?
Father, thank You that You prayed this for us – that we would realize the “oneness” we have as You indwell us. Help us to grasp the indestructible nature of this union. Grant that our heart’s desires would be shaped by Your heart and that our chief ambition would to be simply recognize that You are with us wherever we are, and that we might behold Your glory. Grant that our vision and our destiny be constructed from what You have prayed as opposed to what we thought. Lord, perfect us in unity that the world may know that You sent Jesus to restore all things to Your wondrous original intent. Amen.