Tuesday 23 May 2023

May 23: John 17:6-11

Key Verse: John 17:9
I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.

Devotion:
I find the way Jesus prayed here for the disciples fascinating. Jesus stands up to say to His Father in Heaven He is witness to the fact the disciples believe in Him as being the Son of God. Jesus is standing up on their behalf and saying to God the disciples’ lives have been redeemed through what they have done. What have they done? Simply believed in Him as being the Son of God. In other words, nothing they have done – even though they were trying their best to keep the laws – accounted for their entry into Heaven but their belief!

This is why we see the gospels and letters in our bibles proclaiming the only way to Heaven is to believe Jesus is the Son of God and came down to give His life for our sakes. They do not say we have to make sure we keep every single law of the Old Testament or that we have to sacrifice innocent animals in stead of us paying for our sins – they are saying the new order dictates we simply believe in Jesus Christ!

Jesus says here not everyone is being counted innocent. He is saying those people who believe in Him are being counted as innocent and Jesus asks God to make sure they can join them in Heaven. Whatever Jesus asked of His Father was granted! In other words, Jesus has already asked for us to get to Heaven if we believe! Simple!

All this time Jesus is acknowledging God as Holy Father, sitting on His throne in Heaven. This is the title He wants us to call God too – Holy Father. He declares us innocent because He gave His innocent life in our stead. He personally asks God for us to join Him in Heaven, to be as one!

Points to Ponder:
Do you doubt your position in Heaven?

Will you simply trust Christ because He has already asked God!