Day 31 – Sent Together
Reflect: “Jesus prays that His people would be one and that they would be sent into the world. What would it look like for our church to live as a united, visible, missional community?”
Numbers 6:22-27
22The LORD said to Moses,23"Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:24"'"The LORD bless you and keep you;25the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;26the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."'27"So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them."
John 17:15-23
15I do not pray for You to take them out of the world, but to protect them from the power of the evil one.16They do not belong to the world any more than I do.17"Let their lives be consecrated and made holy by the truth, for the words You have given Me are the truth.18In the same way that You sent Me into the world, I have commissioned and sent them into the world as witnesses of the truth.19"It is for their sakes that I now consecrate Myself completely to Your will, so that through the shedding of My blood they, too, may be truly consecrated to Your purposes.Jesus prays for future believers20"I do not pray only for them, but for all those who in the future will believe in Me through the truth they shall proclaim.21I pray that they will be one in faith and love, Father, in the same way that You and I are always in complete harmony and agreement: You in Me and I in You. May they continue to live in Us so that the world will believe who I AM, the One You sent to be their Saviour and Lord.22"The glory You gave Me I have given to all who believe in Me that they may be united in faith and love, reflecting the unity that is between Us as Father and Son.23I will live in them as You live in Me. Yes, I want them to come to a place of being completely united in faith and love to demonstrate to the world that You sent Me, and that You have loved them in the same way that You have loved Me while I have been here on the earth.
Thank you Jesus, that You make us a people who know and live in Your love, proclaim Your good news, welcome the stranger, serve our neighbours and participate together in Your mission. Show us those You are reaching, and give us eyes to see, ears to hear, courage to respond and love for the people around us.