Lent Devotional - Day 34

Read John 17:20-26.

Jesus’ closing prayer is for every one of us: “those who will believe in me through their message.” Notice that Jesus’ prayer is for complete unity; unity within the church and unity with himself and the Father. What we have to understand is that this unity is not simply agreement, or tolerance, but as Jesus has laid out what it means to love one another and to love him, we must be united in love.

We must love one another. This is not a suggestion or a good idea, but a clear command of Jesus. The kind of love he is looking for in us, is his love…

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Jesus calls us friends. Do you call your fellow brothers and sisters friends? Jesus says we are his friends if we do what he commands. This is how we love him.

If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

The unity of the body of believers that Jesus is praying for is for singular focus in loving him through obedience. When believers whose goal is to obey Jesus come together, there the love of Christ will abound to break down dividing walls. Although the temptation is to focus on loving one another first, we must actually love Jesus first. What does it mean to love Jesus?

Obeying everything he has commanded.

When this is our singular aim and desire, then we become unstoppable. When we have experienced the fullness of the love of Jesus, then there is no person that we cannot love because we were the “unloveable” person that he loved and died for.

The final line in Jesus’ prayer is: “in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” Is he in you? Maybe it’s time you give him complete access to every room in your heart and mind. Ask Jesus to grow you in his love.