The World Will Know

 "I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

— John 17:22-23

Gracious Lord Jesus, my friend and my King,

You desire for your church—all who believe in your name—to be one, to be in complete unity. When your church is living in that unity, the world notices, the world believes that the Father sent You, and the world knows that the Father loves them.

To empower your church to live in that unity, you have given us the glory that the Father gave you. What is that glory? It's not glory as the world defines it. It is the glory of your presence, the glory of your Spirit, the glory of your power. Your glory is the shining radiance of your presence evident within your church. As one commentator wrote, "Where there is a sense of God's glory, unity is much easier. Lesser things that often divide us are set far in the background when there is a sense of God's glory at work." (Guzik)

There is a world who desperately needs to know you, Jesus. They need to know that you love them and that in you is hope, healing, purpose, and a future. They are searching and they are looking at your church for evidence that you are who you say you are.

Gracious Lord, would You give us Your glory today so that we may be one? Grant us the glory of Your presence today. Let the shining radiance of Your presence be evident as we gather. May we see and sense Your glory at work in our midst and may it bring Your church into such unity that a lost and hurting world will know that they are loved by You.

In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen!

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