He prayed for us

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 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.....Father I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory. The glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world...." John 17:20-26

This passage has been on my heart for 2 weeks. Jesus prayed for us. Right before he got arrested, right before the horrible beating, right before He was hung on that cross, who was he thinking about..US...

What did He pray about? Unity that we may be unified, together in all we do. Working together to spread His message. He prayed that we would be with Him too. He WANTS us with him. In all our selfish ambition, conceitedness, sin filled misfit perceived glory he wants us with Him and he wants us to stay unified.

So why is it that Churches think they need to compete with each other? I see people all the time say "I love my Church so much!" Come to my Church we have this we have that" "oh that Church down the hill, don't go to them they are crazy"

If Jesus prayed for our unity don't you think it's kind of important? We get so caught up in the building we're missing the point. WE are supposed to be the Church. We are supposed to be working together as one to spread the message. The Churches in my town seem more interested in competing for numbers than winning souls for Christ. No wonder the world thinks we're hypocrites and wants nothing to do with Jesus.

Today I'm not mourning Good Friday I'm wondering where we went wrong, we got in the way of the message and it's time to get serious again. It's time to stop competing. Our mission was simple, Go and make disciples but we've turned it into Go and fill your buildings with as many people as you can. Today I'm praying for my town, I'm praying the prayer He prayed. I'm praying for unity and not division. I'm praying people get off their high horse and grasp the mission once again.

Lord raise us up, a generation passionate for You. A generation willing to go into the corners where no one else dares go. Make us brave Lord. Raise up a body of believers that desire to work together, that are willing to team up and complete the mission. Help us not get so caught up in numbers and help us not be so concerned with our 4 walls that we think "if we could just get people in here" no Lord give us wisdom to go, to get out of our comfort zone and go outside of the Church. I love You Lord and I will serve you. Thank you for what You're doing in my heart and in the believers You have teamed me up with. We love you and we will go.