| Jesus’ Prayer for Us by Susan Barnes, an Australian pastor’s wife "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." John 17:26 John 17 is special, because it is where Jesus prays for us. In this prayer we find that Jesus' chief concern is not to do with our sins or that we get busy doing His work. His chief concern is our relationship with God and with one another. Jesus showed us God’s character and now He wants future followers to continue to grow in their knowledge of God and His love. In Romans 5:5 we read, "God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit." Here is God's answer to Jesus' prayer, He has put His love into our hearts. Yet sometimes we are tempted to keep God at arm's length thinking He is displeased with us. But He longs for us to “be with him” (Mark 3:14). This desire is in this prayer too, "I want those you have given me to be with me where I am" (v.24).
God longs more than anything else to have a close, personal relationship with us. As he said over Jerusalem, "how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing" (Luke 13:34). Today let us be willing. Today’s freelance Christian writer lives in Australia. Her website contains inspirational articles, book reviews, and devotional thoughts on Bible passages. Contact
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