The gift of Jesus never ends, and the prayer of Jesus always applies
By Dean Collins
Sometimes we jokingly say “it’s a gift that keeps on giving” because there are ongoing responsibilities from the original gift. If someone gives you a puppy or a kitten this Christmas, then you know that cute bundle of busyness with a bow around its neck is now your 24-hour-a-day duty. A good friend of mine once gave our youngest daughter a horse, yes a horse, and while she truly enjoyed the horse, it was a gift that kept on giving. Horses eat a lot of food!
At Christmas we also joke about the things we regift. We have all received something that we don’t need or don’t want, so we pass it along to another lucky friend. But sometimes we forget that the gift of Jesus is to be regifted not because we don’t need or want him but because his love is to be shared far and wide and with those nearby. Telling the good news of Jesus over the hills and everywhere is a part of our role as kingdom citizens.
The perpetual gift of Jesus
In John 17 we discover that Jesus not only taught us to pray, he prayed for us just hours before he died. Yes, he prayed for you and me specifically. It struck me today that this prayer is a perpetual gift to us. His gift keeps on giving, in the very best way.
Imagine being with Jesus in the upper room and later walking with him toward Gethsemane. Over the course of the evening, Jesus taught his disciples many important things he wanted them to remember. One topic that came up at least four times, according to John 14—16 was prayer. Jesus stated over and over that his followers should ask boldly and in his name when they pray. Now imagine you heard that and then immediately afterward heard Jesus pray for you specifically. The disciples enjoyed that moment. And while you and I were not there to hear the prayer, it is recorded for us in John 17. When you get to verse 20, you find the prayer of Jesus offered specifically for you and me.
The particular prayer of Jesus
What did he pray for us? That we would be one just as he and his Father are: one. He prayed that this unity would be so strong that the whole world would see it and know without question that this is evidence of the truth of the gospel. Sadly, we who follow Jesus have fought too long and too strongly to be individuals whose ideas and thoughts are known and celebrated. But actually, just the opposite is needed. We must strive to live in oneness with Jesus and each other if we are to live in his will and advance his gospel. There is no other way that will bring glory to God.
The prayers that do not end
In Revelation, John sees visions of what is to come. In 5:8 we read these amazing words telling us that the prayers of the saints are perpetually before God. This means that the prayer of Jesus along with the prayers of all the saints continue on, even until the return of Jesus in his final return.
The prayer of Jesus for us is a wonderful gift from our Savior and Lord. When we receive the gift of life from Jesus through faith, we are called to spread his love. We are also called to answer the prayer of Jesus and live in unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ. This doesn’t mean we will agree on every topic or even every interpretation of scripture. What it does mean is that we must learn to live in such unity of mind and spirit that the world sees Jesus. The current and increasing fragmentation of believers as we argue over politics in particular is damaging to the spread of the gospel
The prayer we can help to answer
What if the gift we bring to Jesus this Christmas is that we will not only share his love as we pray daily for each other but that we also renew our commitment to strive for the unity within the body of Christ that Jesus prayed and died for? As the lyric from “O Holy Night says,” “Surely he taught us to love one another.” I pray that our unity will make Jesus visible far and wide this Christmas and forever.
Your time with God’s Word
John 17:6-26; Revelation 5:8; John 14:13-14; John 15:7, 16; John 16:23-24 ESV
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
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