Reflections on Wonder - Thoughts from Ravi Zacharias in "Recapture the Wonder"

I have recently been reading a book by Ravi Zacharias, entitled Recapture the Wonder. The book is well worth reading in its entirety, but in this post I just want to summarize the key themes of the book, in which Ravi explores what wonder really is, why it is so often lost after childhood, and how it can be recaptured and retained perpetually.

What is wonder?

We see amazing and wonderful realities all around us in creation, and children seem to be possessed with an innate sense of wonder and curiosity about the world around them. Ancient philosophers reasoned that as children grew to adulthood wonder was replaced and dispelled by knowledge. But are wonder and knowledge in fact mutually exclusive? Ravi asks, “Can it not be our hope… that the shadows and beliefs of childlikeness become only greater and more wonderful when dispelled by knowledge?” (pg. 19)

Ravi defines wonder as “that possession of the mind that enchants the emotions while never surrendering reason. It is a grasp on reality that does not need constant high points in order to be maintained, nor is it made vulnerable by the low points of life’s struggle. It sees in the ordinary the extraordinary, and it finds in the extraordinary the reaffirmations for what it already knows. Wonder clasps the soul (the spiritual) and is felt in the body (the material). Wonder interprets life through the eyes of eternity while enjoying the moment, but never lets the momentary vision exhaust the eternal.” (pg. 20)

Ravi says that “wonder is one of those ‘possessions’ that needs disciplined guarding and thoughtful guiding (pg. 56) and that “our estrangement from wonder is because of our misdirected search” (pg. 57). He goes on to look at some of the places that we mistakenly look for wonder and that end up leaving us empty and desolate.

How then can wonder truly be recovered?  Having looked at the misdirected search for wonder, Ravi suggests 4 keys that are essential for recapturing true wonder. The first is gratitude.

“Gratitude is the freeing expression of a free heart toward one who freely gave…. It is the transformation of a mind that is more grateful for the giver than for the gift, for the purpose than for the present, for life itself rather than for abundance. It values a relationship rather than any benefit made possible by the relationship. Even more, it is the capacity to receive, rather than the gift itself, to trust even when the moment is devoid of immediate fulfillment. It is more than happiness. It is more than peace. In short, where there is no gratitude, there is no wonder.” (pg. 88)

“At the cross, Jesus gave the final and ultimate gift of unmerited favor…. Gratitude fills the heart when the gift has been understood, and wonder fills the soul when gratitude is expressed to the fullest…. The heart celebrates the privilege of knowing the Giver who will withhold no good thing from them who love Him” (pg. 93-94)

The second component of wonder he suggests is truth. “If gratitude impels the sense of wonder, truth compels the mind in its convictions…. The world of an adult must move from what is merely fantastic to what is fantastically true…. If you want to know what truth is, look at Jesus Christ…. To know Him is to know the consummate expression of wonder. It is defined in Him.” (pg. 95, 102)

Ravi points out that both gratitude and truth are ultimately inseparable from the Person of Jesus Christ. “Just as gratitude requires someone to whom we can be grateful, truth requires someone because of whom truth is possible. In both instances, personhood is indispensable to wonder.” (pg. 104-105) And there is a third component of wonder that is equally tied to personhood.

“The third component of wonder [is] to understand and experience love…. (pg. 110) The idea that God loves us can easily become a theoretical statement…. We forget the immensity of the truth that God loves us just as we are, in the frailty and the struggle with which we live. Understanding this must more than inform the mind; it must stir the heart with emotion. That is the understanding that feeds wonder (pg. 114).”

“True love is a thing of the heart and must be raised to what God intends it to be. It can never be fully expressed until it has been given first to God…. How does one enjoy love? By being totally sold out in the heart to God Himself.” (pg. 123)

The final component of wonder is hope, or what Ravi calls a “convinced sense of security” – knowing who we are in Christ and living in the eternal security that we have in Christ. Ravi says, “Not only is wonder attached to [recognizing] my individual uniqueness but there is also an eternal perspective. By rising from the dead, Jesus confirms within your heart and mind that while surrounded by death and the limitations of time, there is a reality that stretches beyond the now to the very presence of God. The wonder of time can only be understood in eternity.” (pg. 124-127) Our hope for eternity rests fully on our relationship with and identify in Jesus Christ! 

So we see that every element of wonder – gratitude, truth, love, and hope - is centered in the Person of Christ and our relationship with Him! “…wonder is fulfilled in the culmination of gratitude, truth, love, and hope. When we recognize in our hearts our gratitude to God, when we live by His truth, and when we enjoy His love, our hope is strengthened till the day we see Him in the purity of our being as we encounter the pure presence of God.” (pg. 133)

How then is wonder continually sustained?

Ravi moves next from the necessary components of wonder to the disciplines by which wonder can be retained in our lives. The first is the discipline of studying God’s Word.

“[We must] learn to treasure this Word and look through it to the source of all life… heaven and earth may pass away but His Word abides forever. We may change, but His Word does not change because it is true for every stage of life, in every circumstance. It keeps us in touch with the new. It keeps us real in our expectations, promising not a trouble-free trip but God’s presence in every trial. It keeps our feet in tune with our head and provides strength for the journey, all the way.” (pg. 151)

Closely connected to studying is the discipline of reading. Ravi points out, however, that “there is more to reading than the Word alone” (pg. 151). He challenges us to consider whether our reading has been shallow or deep. “If wonder is to be retained in our mind, reading and reading well is indispensable to the imagination and the heart. Good reading is like looking for something you have lost and finding it, but in the search finding something else that had also been lost. That is how wonder is constantly replenished.” (pg. 153)

The third discipline Ravi says we must learn to cultivate is the discipline of reflection. He suggests that this is one of the primary reasons why God instituted the festivals for the nation of Israel. “Wonder is retained by wise pondering. Unless we learn to think and reflect on things above we will reflect the hollowness of a world moving fast but slow to think.” (pg. 156)

Reflection requires making time to listen in a world full of noise.  Ravi says, “…at the end of the day if you have spoken but not listened, you have spent without income and sooner or later an expenditure of words without an income of ideas will lead to conceptual bankruptcy. Wonder enriches you when you take the time to reflect and to ponder the greatness of our faith in Jesus Christ.” (pg. 159)

In addition to reading and reflecting, Ravi challenges us to cultivate the habit of discussion. In fact, good discussion can fuel reflection as we sharpen each other and interact on a deep level with others. He encourages us to “plan time with those who think well, who think deeply, and who think about things that really matter…. [Find] a group of people committed to deepening their walk with Christ and who are disciplined in study and interaction.” (pg. 160)

Finally, Ravi challenges us to consider that “wonder can never be retained apart from learning the discipline and delight of prayer. In the closet of our lives lies the fullness of His riches. In the secret place lie unmined treasures…. The discipline of praying is the seedbed of retaining wonder. For here God brings our wills into alignment with His, enabling us to face both the grim and the triumphant and put them in the context of the greater story. Prayer is not the means of bringing our wills to pass but the means by which He brings our will into line to gladly receive His will.” (pg. 162)

Ravi sums up the themes of the book with this statement:

“The components of gratitude and truth, love and hope bring the realization of wonder. The disciplines of study, of reading and reflecting, of dialoguing in depth and praying with belief sustain the wonder. In short, wonder is captured in one word – worship. When we have learned what worship is, we have experienced what wonder is…. [In worship] the emotion, propelled by the will, touches deep into the imagination to lift the spirit into the very presence of God…. He is the one who lifts [our] sights and [our] heart through the wonders that are all around to the greatest wonder of all – Himself.” (pg. 164-166)

Awe-Inspired Confidence

We all go through seasons of uncertainty and confusion in life, times when what God is doing just doesn’t seem to make sense. I have been meditating recently in the book of Habakkuk, because my pastor has been doing a series in it, and there are wonderful truths in this small book to encourage us during times of waiting or questioning.

The book starts off with a series of questions by Habakkuk, in which he is open and honest with God about his struggle with God’s seeming indifference and toleration of wrong (1:2-4). The Chaldeans – a notoriously wicked and violent nation – have attacked the nation of Israel, and God’s people have great reason to fear for their homes and families. Why does God seem not to be listening? Why does God not do something?

Then, when God does respond to Habakkuk’s questions, His answer is even more perplexing! He tells Habakkuk that He has in fact raised up the Chaldeans – this wicked and violent nation – to accomplish His purposes (1:6)! This then leads to more questions by Habakkuk. He points to God’s eternal nature, His holiness, and His sovereignty. In essence, he says, “Ok God, so You have chosen a nation to punish Your people, and You are sovereign. But why this nation? Why a nation who is even more wicked than Your people? Where is the justice in that, Lord? What about Your holiness? Will You allow them to keep slaughtering nations mercilessly?” (2:12-17)

In response, God declares that there is a future judgment for the Chaldeans as well. They will have to face the wrath of a holy God, even though He chooses to use their evil for His own purposes. In the end, all the nations must acknowledge God and will be silenced before Him (2:20). And right in the middle of the sentence against them we find this declaration: “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord’s glory, as the waters cover the sea” (2:14). Thus we see God’s ultimate purpose in punishing His own people, in using a wicked nation as His rod of discipline, and in ultimately bringing every nation to its knees before Him – that His glory might be manifest in all the earth!

It’s as if this reminder then stirs up the prophet’s own memory of God’s awe-inspiring works, and for 15 verses he describes vividly God’s awesome splendor and frightening power (3:1-15). His prayer is for God to accomplish His own work and make it known once again (verse 2).

Having paused to ponder and recount the deeds of the Lord and His majesty, Habakkuk trembles in awe before Him, knowing that he has no other response than to quietly wait for God to act in His time (3:16). And with that sense of awe comes a confidence in God and a recognition that He Himself is of supreme worth and entirely satisfying, even if all else is lost! Regardless of the outcome, Habakkuk can end with a triumphant declaration that he will rejoice in the God of His salvation!

How is this possible? Only because, having struggled openly before God with his own doubts and confusion and having had his focus turned back to God’s glory, he was once again in awe of God more than in awe of the circumstances around him.  And when God is seen for Who He truly is, when His glory is valued as the greatest worth of all, then our hearts can be truly satisfied and confident in Him alone!

So, even though the economy collapses and I lose everything, even though my health fails, even though I lose those that are dearest to me, even though I see no visible fruit of my labor and prayers for people, even though “he” doesn’t write to me or ever show an interest in me again, and the list could go on… still, I can rejoice in God as long as He is my focus, because He is supremely valuable, entirely trustworthy, and completely satisfying! What a beautiful reminder from an obscure Old Testament prophet! 

Search Me, O God!

For many people, spring is a time for deep cleaning around the house – moving furniture that never gets moved to vacuum behind and under it, dusting in all the hidden places, and removing the clutter that has built up over time.  With the budding of new life outdoors, it just seems fitting to refresh the inside as well.

As I was thinking about this, it occurred to me that there may be some “deep-cleaning” that God may need to do in my heart.  The Psalmist asks God to search him and know his heart, to see if there is any wicked way in him (Ps. 139:23-24).  In keeping with the theme of spring cleaning, I thought of four things that I should be asking God to do in my heart on a regular basis:

    

     1.  Reveal.

As furniture gets moved and things come out of closets, dirt and clutter that have built up over time quickly become obvious. In my heart, what hidden lies may I be holding onto that need to be revealed?  What sins may be buried deep inside and need to be brought to light?  What thoughts need to be taken captive to the obedience of Christ?  Heb. 4:12 tells us that it is the Word of God that He uses, by His Spirit, to discern the thoughts and intentions of our hearts and to lay bare our souls before Him. 

God, leave no space unexamined in my heart!  No matter how painful the revelation may be, bring into view, by the light of Your Word, anything that is not what it should be in my heart

     2.  Remove.

Once dirt or clutter is revealed, the logical next step is to remove it.  So once sin is revealed in my heart by the Word of God, what action must be taken in order to remove it?  God’s Word tells me that in Christ my sins have been removed as far as the east is from the west, and I bear them no more (Ps. 103:12)!  So when I confess them, He is faithful and just to forgive my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).   

And yet we live between the already and the not yet, in which we still struggle with sin on a daily basis, and so we must continually put off the old nature.  Eph. 4:22 says, “that in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit.”  And Heb. 12:1 encourages us to “lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us.”  So is there sin that I need to put off?  Is there clutter in my heart that, though not sinful in itself, may be weighing me down and hindering me from running the race that God has set before me?

     3.  Renew.

As I put off the old self, I need God to daily renew my mind with His truth and help me to put on the new self, made like Him, in righteousness and purity of the truth (Eph. 4:20-24).  Rom. 12:2 tells us that the renewing of our mind results in transformation and enables us to discern God’s will.  2 Cor. 4:16 implies that this inner renewal is a work of God in our hearts as we submit to His will by faith.  And, as David reminds us, it is God who creates a clean heart in us and renews a steadfast spirit in us when we humbly confess our sins to Him (Ps. 51:10).

     4.  Rearrange.

Where have my priorities become unbalanced?  Does my schedule need to be rearranged in order to reflect God’s priorities for me?  What has become too important in my heart and must put back in its proper place, in order that Christ might once again have preeminence?  Col. 1:17-18 tells us that “He [Christ] is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.  He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.”  Does my life bear witness that Christ indeed has first place in my heart?

Oh Lord, let this kind of examination of my heart be happening on a regular basis!  Let not a day go by that I don’t ask You to search me and know my heart, to reveal anything that needs to go, to help me promptly remove it, to renew my mind through Your truth, and to help me rearrange any priorities that have become disordered!  And thank You for the promise that You who began a good work in my life will be faithful to complete it until Jesus comes! (Phil. 1:6)

New Goals or a Renewed Pursuit?

As the year draws to a close and a new year looms on the horizon, it is common to intentionally think through goals or resolutions for the new year, things that we hope to accomplish or do better than we did this year. I know for myself, however, these good intentions all too often become nothing more than that, and many of those resolutions that looked so good on paper are forgotten and don’t become a reality.

But what if I were to approach this new year, not so much with a set of new goals or purposes to strive for, but with a renewed commitment to pursue that which matters most in all of life? The new year does provide a good opportunity to reflect on what is truly important and to resolve anew to commit to the pursuit of that which is eternally valuable.

As I was thinking about this and reflecting on what the Bible says about that which we should be seeking after and pursuing as our goal, I was reading through the book of Philippians. Paul’s life goal was very clear to him, and so foremost was it in his mind that everything else faded in comparison. He says it in chapter 1, verse 20, like this:

“according to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing shall I be put to shame, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death.”

That which Paul was earnestly looking for with great confidence and hope was that Christ would in all things be exalted. This was not a new goal, but that which had characterized his life since the day of his conversion. Yet this desire and focus had not diminished with time, but had continued to drive everything that Paul did!

In chapter 3 verses 7-14, he says it this way:

But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Again, this was not a new goal in Paul’s life, but that which continually characterized his life from the time he came to know Christ. The more he came to understand and experience the surpassing value and beauty of Christ, the more he desired to know Him and be like Him, and this one pursuit overshadowed everything else, so that in comparison everything that was previously valuable from an earthly perspective seemed worthless.

In 2 Corinthians 5:9, Paul again states clearly his supreme goal in life:

Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.

In Colossians 1:9-18, Paul’s pursuit of and focus on Christ spills over into his prayers for those he had ministered to, and his concern for them is inseparable from and driven by his desire that Christ would have first place in everything:

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God...For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.

As I prepare to begin a new year, I can think of no better way to sum up what my pursuit ought to be in the coming year than the words of David in Psalm 27:4:

One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple.

As I fix my eyes on Him and marvel and wonder at His beauty and majesty every day, this will give me the confidence and motivation to run with endurance the race that He has set before me each day. It is only by His grace, through Christ, that I can live a life that has meaning and purpose, and it is Christ and His work on my behalf that gives meaning to all that I do. If I am focused on Him each day and continually in awe of Him, then I will be pursuing the right goal, the only one that is truly worthy of pursuing!

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Heb. 12:1-2

Why Did Jesus Come?

During this Christmas season, I have especially enjoyed reviewing what the New Testament has to say about the purpose of Jesus’ coming.  The Bible gives us many very clear statements that declare why He came into the world, many of them from the very words of Jesus Himself in the Gospels.  Here are just 10 of them to consider and meditate upon this Christmas.

·         Jesus came to serve and to give His life as a ransom.

Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.  Matt. 20:28

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.  Mark 10:45

·         Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.

For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.  Luke 19:10

·         Jesus came to provide eternal life.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  John 3:16

·         Jesus came to provide abundant life.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.  John 10:10

·         Jesus came to reveal and glorify the Father.

Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.  John 17:1-4

·         Jesus came to testify to the truth.

Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.    John 18:37

·         Jesus came in order that we might be redeemed and adopted as God’s children.

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.  Gal. 4:4-5

·         Jesus came in order to destroy the power of death and the devil.

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.  Heb. 2:14

·         Jesus came to be a merciful and faithful High Priest and to remove God's wrath against our sins.

Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.  Heb. 2:17

·         Jesus came to be a sin-removing sacrifice.

…but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.  Heb. 9:26

Father, thank You for the indescribable gift of Your Son!  Help me today to fix my eyes upon Jesus and to behold and marvel at such a great salvation as You have provided!

Emotions Aren't Good Leaders!

At a ladies retreat recently, I was challenged and encouraged by truth from 1 Peter that points us to the living hope believers have through Jesus Christ that is both future and now.  In 1 Peter 1:3-9, Peter reminds his readers, who were suffering persecution and facing many trials, of this hope that they could rejoice in – an imperishable inheritance that is being kept in heaven for those who are protected by God’s power through Christ!  This alone ought to give them, and all of us who belong to Christ, motivation and encouragement to endure and rejoice!  This life is not it!  There is something better coming!  Yet Peter then turns their attention to the beautiful purpose that trials themselves can have in the life of a believer.

I love the wording in verse 6, where he says “you have had to be distressed by various trials.”  This gives the idea that suffering is not only allowed by God in our lives, but that trials are intentionally used by God to prove the genuineness of our faith, so that it may bring praise and glory to Him through Christ!  Genuine faith is responding in obedience to the truth of God’s Word and living out what we know to be true, even when we don’t feel like it.  True faith is not based on our feelings, but is based on the truth of Who God is and what He has said, whether we feel like it is true or not. 

One of the statements that the speaker at this ladies’ retreat said in the context of this passage was that “emotions aren’t good leaders.” God has created us to be emotional beings, and our emotions can be used for good when we allow them to follow our choices and actions.  But we often get into trouble when we allow our emotions or feelings to lead us and determine our actions.  God uses trials in our lives to remind us that we walk by faith, not by sight, nor by our feelings.  Another thing she said that I found to be helpful was that God never commanded us to feel Him, but He has commanded us to trust Him and obey Him no matter how we feel!  How very true!

The result of genuine faith, believing Christ and then acting in obedience to Him, is that we will love Him more, believe Him more, and rejoice in Him (verse 8)!  He will increase our love and our joy in Him, but this is God’s doing in our hearts and comes as a result of our choice to trust and obey Him even when it is hard.  So once again, Peter turns their focus (and ours) away from the difficulty of what they were facing and toward the Person and work of Jesus Christ.  We have a living hope in Him, to be revealed fully in the future, and that should motivate us today to live for Him!

Am I living today as though I truly believe that what God has promised for my future is true, or do my actions reveal that I don’t really believe what God has said?

Am I truly willing to take God at His Word and act in obedience to Him, regardless of how I feel?

When tested by trials, will my faith prove to be genuine and bring praise and glory to Jesus Christ?

“Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little.” 1 Pet. 5:10

Studies on the Prayer of Jesus

In a recent study of Jesus’ prayer in John 17, I was reminded of what my focus really ought to be in praying for myself and for other believers as I was pondering several key themes found in Jesus’ prayer for believers.  It is helpful to think through His desire for us as revealed in these verses.

First, Jesus prayed for spiritual protection for believers (verses 11-16).  He knew what a hostile world they were living in and what dangers they would face as His followers.  His physical presence and protection was being taken from them, and He knew they would struggle with that.  Yet He had already promised He would ask the Father to send them the Holy Spirit (14:16-18), whose indwelling presence would be even better than the physical presence of Jesus with them (16:7). 

One of the primary ways that the Holy Spirit would help them in their fight against the forces of evil would be by bringing to their mind God’s words which Jesus had taught them (14:26; 17:14).  Armed with the Word of God and the Spirit of God, believers are thus equipped for battle.  Because we belong to Christ and not to this world, we can be certain that God will protect His own (17:14-16), but it is critical that we recognize the dangers that we face and use the resources that He has provided for us!

Next, Jesus prayed for sanctification for believers (verses 17-19).  Jesus Himself was sanctified (set apart to do His Father’s will) in order that believers might be sanctified (set apart to God) through Him Who is the Truth (John 14:6).  It is God’s Word that He uses to draw us to Jesus, and once we have been set apart to God by our faith in and union with Christ, God continues to sanctify us (make us like Christ) through His Word (verse 17).  The need for the Word of God to be central and active in our lives thus becomes obvious.

It is interesting to note that immediately following His prayer for sanctification, Jesus focuses on the unity of believers (verses 20-23), though He had already mentioned this previously (verse 11).  Our unity should reflect the unity of the Father and the Son, who are one in character and nature.  Jesus is not referring here to organizational, ecumenical unity across denominations, but rather the unity of believers in the character and nature of the Father and the Son.  When believers are growing in sanctification and Christlikeness, they will naturally become unified with one another.  On the other hand, believers who are not growing more like Christ will likewise not be unified with other believers in character and purpose.

Twice within these same verses, Jesus states that our unity as believers will lead to the world believing Who Jesus claims to be (21, 23).  He had already stated (verse 18) that He was sending His followers into the world, and this is why we have been left in this world – to bear witness to Him.  Yet our effectiveness as witnesses for Christ will be directly impacted by the unity of character and purpose that unbelievers perceive among us as His followers!  Personal sanctification, therefore, leads to greater unity among believers, which in turn results in a more powerful witness for Christ in the world.

And what is the overarching purpose of all of this?  Back in verse 1, at the very beginning of Jesus’ prayer, His focus is on glorifying the Father.  The glorification of the Father has always been Jesus’ purpose.  He came to reveal the Father and make His name known.  In verse 24, Jesus wraps up His prayer by bringing it all back to this end once more.  His desire is for those who have been saved to be with Him to see His glory.  When Jesus is glorified, the Father is glorified!  The ultimate purpose, therefore, of our salvation, protection, sanctification, unity, and witness in the world is that God’s name and glory might be made known and worshiped for eternity!  Wow! 

There is much more in this prayer of Jesus in John 17, and most likely I will write on this passage more in a later post.  For now, though, some questions to consider in closing:  Are my prayers first and foremost centered on God’s glory?  Am I praying for believers to be spiritually protected, sanctified, unified, and effective in their witness for Christ?  Am I making the Word of God central in my life, so that by it I might grow in Christlikeness and thereby be more unified with other believers and bear witness to the truth of Jesus?  Do I desire God’s glory more than anything else and long to make His name known to others? 

“This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and the One You have sent – Jesus Christ.  I have glorified You on earth by completing the work You gave me to do.”  John 17:3-4