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Intention
In the midst of social distancing and isolation, our love for one another will demonstrate God’s love to the world.

Scripture

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one.”—John 17:20-22

Reflection
If you were to tell me in February that just about every church building in the world would be closed, I would have thought you had eaten some bad pizza the night before. And yet, here we are.

As we have been adapting to our new circumstances, ‘social distancing’ and isolation have been exposing one of our deepest God-given desires—connection.

Jesus knows all about our desire for connection. What if you had an opportunity to listen in on a prayer that Jesus prayed for you? In John chapter 17, we can do just that. In this stunning prayer, Jesus prays not just for his original group of disciples but also for us.

Jesus actually prays that we would be one in the same way that He and the Father are one. This totally blows my mind! It is incredible to think that Jesus would be praying that we would be one in the same way that God the Father—who is Love—is One with His perfect and uncreated Son.

I believe that God is calling us into deeper connection as His body. There is a love He calls us to that will surpass everything that we have experienced before in Christian community. Jesus says in John 13:35 that the world would know we are His disciples by our love for one another.

Right now, God is releasing creative ways for us to connect in the midst of this shutdown. The spoken word that I put together in the video above was done with this in mind—stirring the church to greater connectedness.

God is calling us to live out the fullness of the Great Commandment, which is to love God and each other. And He is also calling us to live out the fullness of the Great Commission, which is to go and make disciples.

Hope in the Harvest is an online event that we are running this week to equip believers as they step out into this calling. We already have over 1,100 registrations, but we want to invite you to be involved too. If you’d like to find out more or register, visit www.theharvest.org.au/hope.

Prayer
Thank You Father for Your indescribable love that was demonstrated through Jesus. I open my heart to comprehend with all the saints what is the width, the breadth and the height of Your amazing love. I am praying that we would live out the fullness of Jesus’ prayer in John 17; that we would be one just as You are one with Your Son. May the world know that we are Your disciples because of our love for one another. Amen.

31 Days Prayer Points
1. Pray for five people and share the Good News of Jesus with them.
2. Pray that God would use His people to reach one billion people this May.
3. Pray for an end to the coronavirus pandemic, both in Australia and globally.

Joel Shaw is the Lead Pastor at Tivoli Miracle Centre. Previously he was the Principal at the Glory School of Supernatural Transformation. Joel lives in Brisbane, Queensland.

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