Guest SOAP post from Bible in 90 Days grad and mentor, Heathahlee.
The reading for Monday is John Chapter 17.
Scripture:
John 17:9-21
Observation:
Jesus is praying for the disciples…He is about to endure the cross and all that leads up to it, and He knows the next few hours will be horrific not only for himself, but for those who have trusted him to be their King. He knows that the enemy would love nothing more than to take what they have learned and cause them to doubt who Jesus was and what he said he would do. He is praying that they will be one, just like he and the Father are One.
But not only is he praying for the disciples, he is praying “also for those who will believe in me through their message….” Do you realize who that is? IT’S US!!! Jesus is about to undergo the worst hours any human being has had to endure, but he still prays for you. For me. For unity as believers. For protection from the evil one. I remember the first time I read that passage of Scripture. I had to put my Bible down and weep. To think that the Son of the Living God would pray for…me. Sinful, ungrateful, faithless, hot-tempered me.
Application:
Pray, just as Jesus prays here, for protection. Protection from disunity among believers, whether that’s in our local church, or our group of friends, or even those we don’t agree with doctrinally. Jesus looked down through history and prayed that we as his followers would be unified in bringing others to him.
We also should pray for protection from the evil one. If you don’t think Satan is alive and well and working in the church today…honey, open your eyes! As much as Jesus loves us, Satan HATES us! He wants nothing more than to destroy us! I think that’s as much motivation for praying for protection as anything!
Prayer:
Father, thank you for sending your precious Son to become flesh for us. Jesus, as human as you were, you were still God, and understood the importance of unity among your believers. Remind us to come to you with differences we have with a fellow believer, not gossip about them and cause dissension. Thank you for your power over the enemy! He knows he has lost, but he will try everything to make sure those of us who are yours are ineffective. Give us your protection over our homes, our families, and our churches.
Heathahlee is a homeschooling mom to an 11 year old son and wife to her sound man husband, whom she has been married to for 16 years. She blogs at Butterfly Genes and can be found on Twitter @Butterfly_Genes.
What about you? What did you see and hear in your reading of John 17?
Be sure to record your own SOAP observations and feel free share your own thoughts or a link to your thoughts, here, too.
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