What an incredible prayer Jesus prayed not long before His arrest, trials and execution. He prayed for Himself (John 17:1-5), He prayed for His disciples (John 17:6-19) THEN He prayed for those who will believe in Him through the message of these eleven men (John 17:20-26).

He prayed for oneness for His followers, oneness with the Father and the Son so the world may believe that the Father sent the Son. (See John 17:20-21).

Then Jesus prayed in the past tense ““ as if it had already occurred ““ for those who will believe by saying:

(NASB) John 17:22 “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one;”

God”™s glory is given by Jesus Christ, the glory which came from the Father to followers of Christ ““ God”™s glory is tied up with being One as the Father and the Son are One.

It is difficult to grasp, to put the arms of my understanding around God”™s glory being given to me. One thing I do understand, God”™s glory is only given through Jesus Christ.

Why would God give His glory to anyone? He has made it possible that you and I may be in unity with the living God. Isn”™t that amazing? To have unity and be united with the Father and with the Son?!!

Organizations and businesses, sports teams and universities; to be successful they need to have a united agenda, a common goal in mind toward which they work.

How different is the unity Christ Jesus talked about ““ it is not organized religion but oneness of an intimate, personal relationship. This unity cannot be manufactured or manipulated. This living unity is created by God. God is glorified when followers of Christ are one. Our common goal, our common purpose, has one end and one end only ““ that Jesus Christ is glorified.

Your life and mine is to be united in thinking with God”™s thoughts, God”™s ways, God”™s purposes. No one can work to be united with God ““ this living unity only comes from Him through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Unity with God is a living reality

of the life which comes through Jesus Christ alone.