In the second part of John chapter 17, Jesus prays for those who are still to come to believe in him. Have you ever noticed this before? Jesus prays not only for believers but for those who are not yet believers and will become Christians through the testimony and the message of current believers.
Do we pray for our neighbours, friends, and family members who are not yet Christians, trusting in God’s sovereign power that they may one day come to faith?
Jesus also prayed multiple times for unity among his followers, asking that they be “one” just as the Father is in him and he is in the Father.
Can we honestly say that Christians have achieved this level of unity today? I suppose it depends on what is means to be “one.” Jesus defines this unity as a physical and spiritual unity, mirroring the relationship between Him and His heavenly Father. It’s a unity of spirit, nature, and essence. It’s also worth noting, Jesus doesn’t pray for denominational or organizational unity but for unity of heart, life, and spirit. For when we are unified, we are one.
Spending time together in prayer fosters this unity as we work together for the sake of the gospel. We should be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit” because there is “one Lord, one faith, one hope” (Ephesians 4). Being one in Christ, calls us to act united, to think well of each other, caring for one another, while being secure in the knowledge that we are loved just as we are by our Lord.