20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one — 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved themeven as you have loved me.24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you[a] known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”about 'unity' between Christians. Our relationship is equated to that between God and Jesus, i.e. the closest that ever existed. And one thing it brought home to me is how much I love my CU and church friends, they're like another family to me and related to that I decided to publish something that I wrote last weekend. I didn't publish it at the time because I've learnt not to make anything written in an emotional state public straight away because I often (usually when angry) I do something I regret.
Verse 1
Before You gave us life and breath
You numbered all our days
You set Your gracious love on us
And chose us to be saved
This fleeting life is passing by
With all its joys and pain
But we believe to live is Christ
And death is gain
Chorus
To live is Christ, to die is gain
In every age this truth remains
We will not fear, we’re unashamed
To live is Christ, to die is gain
Verse 2
And though we grieve for those we love
Who fall asleep in Christ
We know they’ll see the Savior’s face
And gaze into His eyes
So now we grieve, yet we don’t grieve
As those who have no hope
For just as Jesus rose again
He’ll raise His own
Verse 3
And now we’re longing for the day
We’ll see the Lamb once slain
Who saved a countless multitude
To glorify His name
We’re yearning for the wedding feast
Of Jesus and His bride
His nail-scarred hands will finally
Bring us to His side
[http://sovereigngracemusic.bandcamp.com/track/to-live-is-christ]
My prayer today is that one day I will not be the only person in my family able to sing this song. Because "though we grieve for those we love Who fall asleep in Christ" there are so many who I love who aren't in Christ and I don't understand it.
Right now I completely understand Paul's anguish in Romans 9:
"I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God over all, forever praised![a] Amen."There are times when I find myself literally in tears over the people I love who don't know God. So if you are reading this, I don't judge, and I don't keep trying to tell you because I want to be annoying or superior but because I love you and I love God and nothing would mean more to me than for you to know each other.
