Divine Imperatives August 17 Devotional
by David Joynt on August 17, 2023
Stress Test Devotional May 4
May 04, 2024
JOHN 17:11-12 | 11 And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled.
It is clear that Jesus chose the risky path of building a community early in His public ministry. This meant going through the process of developing intimacy, fostering teamwork, and connection. He had to share vision, demonstrate virtues, identify and encourage the gifts of His followers, and teach them a new way of reading the Torah, and seeing the world. All of this was time intensive hard work, as building community always is. But it was also rewarding. In Jesus’ high priestly prayer in the final discourses in John, He is most proud that those “God gave Him,” He “kept to the end.”
Remember today that Jesus sees you as a gift from God.
Gracious God,
Help me have the determination to invest in people and relationships so I can have a great reward.
Amen.
