HOPE 365 Toolbox - Weekly Devotion - Jesus's Prayer for Unity: It's Written in Red

Jesus' Prayer for Unity: It's Written in Red

By Erin W. 

In many bibles, Jesus’ words are printed in red type. This helpful feature led to a phrase I first heard in college: “It’s written in red.” In other words, if you’re going to put emphasis on something, start with the words written in red. What did Jesus pray for? Here are words of His:

Jesus Prays for All Believers - John 17:20-26
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

Jesus was praying, just hours before he died, for our unity. Why? Well, apparently our love for Him and each other (our unity) is His strategy for showing the world who He is!

The key to the world being drawn to the Church is that we be an authentic and loving family. We can choose to allow the Spirit to form us into people who know, accept, help, & listen to other Christians – even Christians with differing opinions and views. There’s nothing more common than differences. The prayer, work, laughter, & tears we share are designed by God to develop & sustain a genuine love for each other that interests the disinterested. Crazy, huh?
 
Prayer: God, thank you for knowing who we are and loving us despite our countless flaws. Empower us daily to extend love & grace to everyone, including other Christians. Unite Christians through our main commonality: our praise of you. Make us wiser relationally, so that we can be part of your strategy for reaching the world. Amen.