“I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one” (John 17:21)
It was a day that I will never forget, and I am sure if you were able to watch it or experience it firsthand, you will not either. On September 26th, we observed something that was powerful, dynamic, and Spirit-filled. On that sacred Saturday it is estimated that between 75 to 100 thousand Christians and Messianic Jews gathered in Washington DC for penitence, prayer, and praise. The Prayer March on Washington, coupled with The Return, was a spiritual phenomenon, the likes of which we have never seen. And more importantly – it was an answer to Jesus Christ’s prayer.
The 17th chapter of the gospel of John records what is referred to as “The Great Intercessory Prayer.” It is the most intimate conversation between Jesus Christ the Son and God the Father that is divulged in Scripture. It is the record of a private conversation between the Holy Trinity, and we have the privilege of listening to it.
I believe this detailed prayer is recorded in the bible because it is a petition for you and me. It is something Christ wanted placed in scripture because it is an intercessory prayer for every individual who would be brought to faith in Him. It is a prayer that extends through the ages and includes every born-again soul.
The Father and the Son, with the presence of the Holy Spirit, gathered in a garden called Gethsemane, located at the foot of the Mount of Olives adjacent to Jerusalem. Jesus was about to go to the cross and pay the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. There were many things he could have prayed for, yet the one central burden on his heart was you and me. And what was his intercession for us? His petition for us was for unity. “That they will all be one, just as you and I are one.” He prayed for us to be united in our interest, in our character, in our duty as Christians. He prayed for every chosen remnant to be united in Him as our common head. He prayed for all of us to be influenced by His power. He prayed for us to agree that God’s favor is better than life, and that sin is evil. He prayed for us to have a new and fresh heart. He prayed for us to join-together in one Spirit. He prayed for us to have one design and aim. He prayed that the glory of God would be our highest end. He prayed that we would have love and affection toward one another. He prayed that each of us would bear his image.
Our unity was at the center of Jesus Christ’s great intercessory prayer in the Garden that day. And he prayed that our unity would have a powerful impact on the world. The unity we saw on September 26th was void of any hatred, violence, rioting, and desecration. It was the total opposite of what the world has been watching on social media and television. What we observed in Washington DC last month was the answer to Jesus Christ’s prayer in the garden over 2050 years ago. And Jesus always gets his prayers answered.
Darlene