Daily Devotion (September 4, 2024)
John 17:20–23
20Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Jesus, just before going to the cross, prayed for you and me. He prayed for the weak, the diseased, the orphan, the family, the widow and the widower. Jesus prayed for the prisoner and the free. Jesus prayed. He prayed for the future believers. He prayed for unity. He prayed that the glory of God would be seen through our lives. Jesus prayed that we would be made perfect in unison as the Father and Son were.
Jesus prayed that we would be the messengers of God. As disciples of Christ, we are to proclaim the message of Christ so others can believe. Paul wrote in Romans 10:14–15 “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things!”
It is not just the preacher behind the pulpit proclaiming the Word of God. It is each believer, follower of Christ who proclaims the message of God’s salvation to the world. If Jesus prayed for us before going to the cross, we need to hear and adhere to His words. We should be proclaiming His words and demonstrating His love to the world.