John 17:6-19 (NRSV)
Read John 17:6-19 on biblegateway.com
Verse 6"I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Verse 7Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; Verse 8for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. Verse 9I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. Verse 10All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them.
Verse 11And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. Verse 12While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. Verse 13But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. Verse 14I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Verse 15I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. Verse 16They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.
Verse 17Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. Verse 18As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. Verse 19And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.
Devotion
Discouragement is undoubtedly one of the best weapons the “evil one” uses against us. When we start thinking and believing that we are waging a losing battle and cut ourselves off from God’s help, the devil has us where he wants us. Let us remember that Jesus prays for us. He prays that we will be victorious over the “evil one” and that we would find strength and a refuge in God’s Word.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer said it was not the big battles in his life that were the most challenging, it was the “daily skirmishes.” It is encouraging to know that Christ is present to help us in everything.
Jesus prays that we will be empowered as we represent Him and gather those who welcome Him as their Lord. Let us remember that our task is to invite and welcome – not convince and coerce. We have all the power we need with Christ pulling for us!
Prayer
Holy Spirit, help us to keep our eyes fixed on Christ and not on our successes or failures, so that we draw our power from you – not ourselves. Make us aware of how you use our gifts and personalities to represent you. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.