Thursday 16 May 2013

Background: Each and everyone

Today's passage gives us an opportunity to eavesdrop on aseminal conversation, a heart-felt prayer that gives a rare butrelevant insight into Jesus' understanding of his own purpose andpassion, and what he believed and almost begged for for "those whowill believe...".

In the earlier part of this chapter, Jesus recognises thejourney of the disciples or followers around him, and the judgementof those who for whatever reason had chosen not to believe orfollow him. He petitions heaven for the witness of God in theearth, asking for those who are following him not to be taken outof the world but to be kept in the world and from the evil init.

Up to this point, Jesus' prayer had more or less covered allthose who might have been eavesdropping, and hopefully they wouldhave had that warm, fuzzy feeling that you often get when yourealise that someone is looking out for you. For the courageousdisciples, this prayer was a platform from which to 'boldy go'where others had not gone before to proclaim Jesus as Lord. For theless confident, it was the 'duvet' that would insulate them fromthe inclement and inhospitable times that might be ahead.

If Jesus had stopped there, it would still have been an amazingprayer to overhear, but in the narrative he didn't. He continued topray for "all". He prayed for all those who would believe in thefuture, for all those who would come along after the followers whowere with him now, and for all those who might struggle at firstbut then find clarity and wholeness in him. That small word 'all'took a prayer in time, and made it a prayer for all time and foreveryone.

The core theme of unity may seem difficult to some andunattainable to others, but Jesus was passionate about it, andabout including all people in it with only one caveat: that theybelieve. Neither background nor upbringing, class nor culturefeature here; just an open invitation to believe.

So who is included in the "all" that Jesus continued in prayerfor? Anyone - no everyone - who through this scriptural text haslistened in to what Jesus prayed for and is willing to respond,would dare to be wrapped in the duvet of us his protecting love,and who would dare to be positioned on the platform of his grace,to share his love in the world.

Far from being a classified conversation, today's prayer is atimeless prayer for each and everyone.

To Ponder

• What does this part of Jesus' prayer say to you?

• How is this part of Jesus' prayer being answered in/throughyour life?

• Who can you pray for today who may feel excluded or hurt?