CSB News & Information

Praying the Bible for Your Family: August

 

“I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their word. May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me. I have given them the glory you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me, so that they may be made completely one, that the world may know you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me.”

John 17:20-23

When Jesus prays this, He is sitting at the passover table with His disciples, hours before His betrayal, trials, and crucifixion. He knows there are only a few hours left before agony, but He is not praying for Himself at this moment—He is praying for us.

This prayer shows Jesus’ priorities for us,priorities that might seem  surprising upon first glance. Look how precious our unity is to Jesus as He prays for us to be one! The relationships we have with other believers—our marriages, our families, our churches—are so important because they reflect God’s own unity in the Trinity.

What does unity look like in your own life? Are you struggling to be unified in your relationships? As you pray through this passage this month, ask God to help you want unity as much as Jesus does. Ask for a heart that is eager to make peace, to overlook an offense, to love your spouse and your kids.

However, the unity Jesus is asking for does not stop with human relationships: “May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me … I am in them and you are in me.” As Jesus prays that we be in God, He states that He is already in us. Let His profound prayer sink into your heart, and thank Him for that marvelous truth.