“The Us and the We”

    The Lord Jesus Christ delivers us from existence as merely a “me” to an abundant life as a “we.”

    “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; that they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me. And the glory which Thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one” (John 17:20-23).

    I must confess to a bit of frustration every time I read this prayer of our Savior.  The glory for which He makes request to our Father seems so transcendent and wondrous that, as the old hymn suggests, “I scarce can take it in.”  Indeed, the Lord Jesus prays for the uniting of His trusting children with Himself and the Father (as actualized by the indwelling Holy Spirit), and then dies and rises again to make the gift possible.   For all who thereafter receive the blessedness by faith, life becomes the “us” and the “we” referenced in the Lord’s request - the “us” and the “we” as realized and experienced with God.

    Attempting to communicate such inscrutable truth to others increases the frustration all the more.  However, I fall back upon the fact that some Truth can only be declared rather than fully explained.  Too often through the years I’ve attempted to speak of that which I know little or nothing of.  In this case, therefore, allow me to reiterate that the Lord Jesus invites us to life as a “we” and an “us” with Himself, His Father, and the Holy Spirit.  I’ll allow the latter Party of the triune God to personally interpret such glory to each of our hearts.

    How beloved we must be, that our Lord so cherishes our hearts as to make them His home.  May we more and more realize how near He has drawn to us, and how near we are to Him.  “One in Us” - the Lord Jesus prayed, died, and rose again to make possible this most sublime and wondrous of gifts.  He sent His Spirit to actualize it, and then His Word to tell us of the glory.   Oh yes, how beloved we must be…

“God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”
(Ephesians 2:4-7)

Weekly Memory Verse
    He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.
(Proverbs 11:28)