Jesus’ prayer for believers

  Throughout the year as we have traveled it has been a reoccurring event to meet Americans. And it’s a reoccurring event to not only meet them but what happens when we meet them. We all get excited and it’s as if we’re seeing/meeting old family.

Why? Because as you travel around the world, you realize the unison you feel with fellow citizens of America. There is a bond that unites you as a citizen of the same country, and you feel it so much when you are BOTH on foreign soil. There is a familiarity you both know and miss that you share. And being able to talk in the same language and not use hand motions or playing the game of charades becomes such a relief. And you realize how amazing communication is without language barriers.

Hanging with the team @ Starbucks in Warsaw, Poland

One of the things I have loved is meeting Americans along our travels these past 11 months. Because each time it is the same- you hear them or they hear you speak in English and it’s like you can’t help but be drawn to them and it’s exciting to talk and have that bond of both being from America.

The America bond reminds me of the bond that we believers hold with one another. We have an eternal uniting bond. And that’s been one of the coolest things to see around the world: how God and His love for us, and then our love for Him combine and unite us all. The believers we have met we have only known them for a few weeks and may never see some of them ever again but it’s an eternal bond. We are united in God’s family and call the same God, Abba, Father, and we are his sons and daughters.  

Eating turkish food & drinking turkish tea with the team in Warsaw, Poland

John 17:20-23 Jesus prays saying, “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will be one, just as you and I are one- as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that THE WORLD WILL BELIEVE YOU SENT ME. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are ONE. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such PERFECT UNITY that the world WILL KNOW that you sent me and that YOU LOVE them as much as you love me.”

When we are unified as believers it’s a powerful witness to God and the reality of HIS LOVE, for each of us. Unity is a testimony to non-believers; an amazing testimony when everything in the world tears people apart, God and His love unite us.