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Throughout the Old Testament we read of how God’s people valued and desired God’s presence with them. As Moses said to the Lord before the Israelites began their 40 year journey through the wilderness:

Exodus 33:15 Then he said to Him, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here.

In the person of Jesus, our Messiah, God came near. The prophet Isaiah said Jesus would be Emmanuel, which means “God with us.” Jesus taught his disciples that He had revealed the Father God to them.

John 14:6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 7 “If you know Me, you will also know My Father. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.” 8 “Lord,” said Philip, “show us the Father, and that’s enough for us.”  Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time without your knowing Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I speak to you I do not speak on My own. The Father who lives in Me does His works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me. Otherwise, believe because of the works themselves.

In time, the disciples fully grasped that Jesus had come to reveal God to them and bring His presence to them. They needed to understand Jesus mission and He had to accomplish His mission before they could fully understand it. After these things were accomplished, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to live in His followers forever, teach them, guide them, and give them spiritual power to accomplish His will.

Now, Jesus has given us the “ministry of reconciliation” in which it is our mission to be Christ’s “ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:18-20),” showing others who He is.

Messiah Jesus, I pray that Your love would shine through me, that Your grace would flow through me, and that Your compassion would infuse my words and actions to others always. As a part of Your Church, which You prayed to the Father would be “completely one, so the world may know You have sent me,” may I not do anything to hinder the unity that You desire, a unity based on Your cross and the sacrifice You made there for us, and on Your resurrection and the life that it gives to us. I pray that we, Your Church, will represent You well in all that we do for one another and for the world. In Your name I pray, Amen.

John 17:23 I am in them and You are in Me.

May they be made completely one,

so the world may know You have sent Me

and have loved them as You have loved Me.