Monday, February 14, 2011

Week 4 - One with God

I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
John 17:21

Be with the One who loves you.

At the core of Jesus’ prayer, in the message of His life, in the whole of the Gospel, that is the very simple (but not easy) invitation that is spoken over and over and over again. We often make it seem like so much more than that, but this last prayer of Christ repeats the bottom line like a steady heartbeat: “I am God, and I want you to be with me.”

When we hear and accept that invitation and allow its truth to seep into our hearts, past the thick walls that we have constructed out of fear and woundedness, we are gradually but consistently transformed. We begin to see that we are not alone; God is with us. We come to understand that none of us live singular lives; Jesus’ prayer was for all people to be connected to Him and to each other. We come to realize that our living is always an expression of something – or Someone – greater than ourselves, and that our choices reveal what that is. We begin to desire what God desires. Our prayers begin to echo Jesus’ prayer for the world, asking God to join us to others as we are joined to Him.

In following Jesus, not only are we saying “no” to all of the things we want Him to save us from, we are also, even more so, saying “yes” to a brand new way of life. We are saying yes to a life that is one with God’s heart for ourselves, others and the world. We are saying yes to an eternity of surrender to Love, starting here, starting now.

The Real Question: Does my heart say “yes” to God? Have I accepted His invitation to live this day with Him?

Family Talk: Talk with your kids about the earliest time you remember saying “yes” to God’s love for you.

ONE in Prayer: God, Your love is something that I can never understand, but I do accept it. I need You. I want to live each day in Your company. I surrender to Your love. Amen.

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