Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who will believe in me through their word. John 17:20 WEB

With these words, Jesus begins to pray for all who accept him as Lord and Savior. Chapter seventeen of John’s gospel account is one continuous prayer. It starts with Jesus praying to the Father to glorify him as the Son that Jesus may glorify God. It continues as Jesus prays for his disciples. The final portion is Christ’s prayer for unity for all who believe through the spreading of the good news of salvation by the disciples.

The prayer encourages us to understand that those who accept Christ are unified with Jesus and our Father in heaven. We are one with Jesus and the Father. The Lord lives in us and we live in him. The same Spirit that came upon Christ at his baptism lives in each believer. 

We read of this event in Luke 3:22 which says, “and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form as a dove on him; and a voice came out of the sky, saying ‘You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased.’ WEB” Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to his followers in John 14:16 saying, “I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever. WEB”

Pray Without Ceasing

Each of these occurrences involve prayer. This is a powerful message. Unity with God involves prayer. The apostle Paul instructs believers to pray always saying in 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18, “Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you. WEB” 

Jesus teaches us how to pray with the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. Preceding these verses, Christ teaches the faithful to pray in private. In Matthew 6:6 Jesus says, “ But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. WEB” When you and I pray, we experience the intimacy of our unity with Christ and our heavenly Father. 

Yesterday’s Devotional: Things Not Seen