“‘〔父啊，〕我也为那些 … 信我的人祈求，… 使他们合而为一，像我们合而为一。… 使他们完完全全地合而为一。’” - 约17:20, 22-23

我女儿和我有幸能在她们母亲的床边听到她临终时所说的话。一个人的遗言是有非常特别的意义的。

约翰福音17章中的祷告，是耶稣与衪的门徒最后一次的祷告 － 时间就发生在衪在客西马尼园里扎挣、被卖、受审、和被钉十架之前。这些言语显明衪对所有相信衪之人的心意。

请留意耶稣没有为哪些事祷告。衪没有为战胜压迫他们的罗马人祷告；衪没有为跟从者的健康和财富恳求；衪没有为生命、自由、和追求幸福的权利祈求；衪甚至没有提到衪为敬拜的方式或神学上的问题而担忧。

耶稣乃是为合一祷告！

衪祈求所有相信衪的人能与神合而为一，他们因此便能彼此“完全地合一”－ 在未来的年日始终不间断！

在同一个晚上稍早的时候，耶稣曾这样说：“我赐给你们一条新命令，乃是叫你们彼此相爱；… 你们若有彼此相爱的心，众人因此就认出你们是我的门徒了”（约翰福音 13:34-35）。

爱这个字意味着行动。作为一个爱神的人，我们就当每天祈求恩典去爱邻舍如同爱自己，这是耶稣的吩咐。

（AM）

祷告

圣父、圣子、和圣灵啊，你的爱是何等奇妙。求你以你的爱充满我们、满溢至倾流到我们每一个人和我们的邻舍身上，叫我们在你里面合而为一。阿们。

约翰福音 17:20-23

20“我不但为这些人祈求，也为那些因他们的话信我的人祈求，
21使他们都合而为一；正如你父在我里面，我在你里面，使他们也在我们里面，叫世人可以信你差了我来。
22你所赐给我的荣耀，我已赐给他们，使他们合而为一，像我们合而为一。
23我在他们里面，你在我里面，使他们完完全全地合而为一，叫世人知道你差了我来，也知道你爱他们如同爱我一样。

Jesus’ Prayer For Us

“[Father,] I pray also for those who will believe in me . . . that they may be one as we are one . . . that they may be brought to complete unity.” - John 17:20, 22-23

My daughters and I were privileged to be at their mother’s bedside when she spoke her last words. There is something very special about people’s final words.

Jesus’ prayer in John 17 is his final prayer with his disciples—just prior to his struggles in the garden and his betrayal, trial, and crucifixion. These words reveal his heart for all who believe in him!

Note what Jesus did not pray for. He did not pray for victory over Roman oppressors. He did not plead for the health and wealth of his followers. He did not ask for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He did not even mention concern over worship practices or theological questions.

Jesus prayed for unity!

His prayer was that all who believe in him would be united with God and therefore be united with one another in “complete unity”—in all the days and years that followed!

Earlier that same evening Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. . . . By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).

Love is an action word. As lovers of God, pray daily for grace to love your neighbors as yourself. That is what Jesus wants.

(AM)

Prayer

Father, Son, and Spirit, your love is amazing. Fill us so full of your love that it overflows to all of us and our neighbors, making us one in you. Amen.