Glory and Unity!

This morning my heart is stirred by some passages I have been reading from John's Gospel, specifically the prayer Jesus prays right before His passion and death.  Here are the verses:

John 17:4-5,20-26 NIV:

[4] "I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. [5] And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

[20] “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, [21] that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. [22] I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one--- [23] I in them and you in me---so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

[24] “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world."

[25] “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. [26] I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”


What an incredible prayer!  There is so much for us to reflect on here, as Jesus is including us specifically in verse 20, for we are those who have believed through the message (the Gospel) passed down to us by the Apostles and disciples.  It is great knowing that Jesus specifically prayed for us!

It seems to me that much of His prayer revolves around giving glory to the Father, through us.  Jesus said He brought the Father Glory by finishing the work He had been given to do.  He established the Church, passed on an understanding of the Father that was intimate and perfect.  This was giving Glory to the Father! The gift of unity is meant to give the Father Glory (verse 22-23).  We are called to reveal to the World the Glory of the Father through our unity - one can see clearly why the enemy works so hard to cause division.  Lord, we pray for a release of Unity in the Body of Christ like the world has never seen, that we might bring You Glory, the Glory Your deserve!

Jesus also prays that we might see His glory, the glory He had since before the creation of the world.  This is where my brain tilts.  I can visualize Jesus as a human man walking on the earth, I have a harder time getting my mind around His sitting on the Heavenly Throne, in full glory!  We have records of the descriptions o what Isaiah, Ezekiel, and John saw in their heavenly visions, but they struggle to even express what they saw in language we can understand.  We are left with a fuzzy image, due to the lack of appropriate language, and thus, my inner image of Jesus on the throne is less clear.  I pray for the greater capacity and greater experience of Jesus' glory, for He desires it as well.  Isn't that great to know, Jesus wants us to see Him in Glory!  He wants us to comprehend who we worship!

Finally there is the promise of Jesus to continue to make the Father known to us!   Part of this will result in an infilling of the Father's love for His son, into us!  Wow!  That is actually worthy of sitting on for a while.  The Father's Love for Jesus will fill us too, causing us to know Him, and experience His indwelling in a more full way!

This ties back to the verses I was reflecting on this morning from Ezek. 43, and Isaiah 43 (see below).  Yes, Lord show us Your Glory!  Yes Lord, bring Your sons and daughters, bring us to Unity in You, The Father and the Holy Spirit!

Amen!


Here is the reflection I had on the verses from Isaiah and Ezekiel!

This morning I woke up at 4:34am, thanks to my cat crying right in my face.  I woke up more alert than normal and thought maybe the time related to a scripture, or verse.  I have been reading through the different 43:4's and here are a couple that stood out:

Ezekiel 43:2-5 NIV:

[2]..."and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory. [3] The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when he came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown. [4] The glory of the Lord entered the temple through the gate facing east. [5] Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple."

(This reminds me of the transformation videos we were talking about recently, the ones where the Inuit heard the roaring sound during worship - link to the Youtube version here - https://youtu.be/X42oZ1O8hAk )


Isaiah 43:4-13,18-21 NIV:

[4]"Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life. [5] Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. [6] I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth--- [7] everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made. ”

[8] Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. [9] All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Which of their gods foretold this and proclaimed to us the former things? Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right, so that others may hear and say, “It is true.” [10] “You are my witnesses, ” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. [11] I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior. [12] I have revealed and saved and proclaimed---I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses, ” declares the Lord, “that I am God. [13] Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”

[18] “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. [19] See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. [20] The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, [21] the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise."

It seems to me there are three promises:

1) He will visit us with His Glory

2) He will gather His sons and daughters to us

3) He will do a New thing!

Oh Lord, we pray these promises over all of Your people, over every church here in KC, in the region and in the World.  We are Your children, we are Your Church, We are Your Body!  Visit Us!  Add to us!