A Story In Prayer

[Jesus] looked toward heaven and prayed . . . John 17:1

Jesus’ high priestly prayer, as John 17 is known, is one of the most amazing passages in the entire Bible. His prayer to “Abba,” “Daddy,” his daddy, recorded and preserved for us. His heart and his passion revealed. The beauty, intimacy and interconnectedness of his relationship with God the Father and with us displayed, his hopes for how we connect to him, God the Father and each other expressed. The story of God told by Jesus in prayer.

With Jesus’ words of prayer we hear and see the story of God, a story told with consistency throughout the pages of scripture and throughout the pages of history. Individually and collectively we have been written into this amazing story, a story of God, a story retold by Jesus in prayer:

· A story of God’s glory, flowing mutually in and to Father and Son. (v. 1, 4, 5, 22, 24)
· A story of eternal life, which is knowing God and Jesus (v. 2, 3)
· A story of Jesus’ eternality as God. (v. 5, 24)
· A story of Jesus’ dependence (rhythm of dependence) on the Father (v. 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 21, 23, 24, 25)
· A story of the power of God’s name (v. 11, 12, 15)
· A story of Jesus’ desire for our joy (v. 13)
· A story of Jesus’ plan for us to live as an alternative community (v. 14, 15, 16, 23)
· A story of our nature as a sent people (v. 18)
· A story of God’s desire for our unity (v. 11, 21, 22, 23)
· A story of our need to abide in God (v. 19, 21, 26)
· A story of our true identity as God’s beloved (v. 23, 26)

Do you resonate with this story?
Do you believe this story?
Do you find yourself in this story?
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Do we as a community resonate with this story?
Do we as a community believe this story?
Do we as a community find ourselves in this story?

Peace, hope and love

Doug