Lenten Daily Devotional - Day 27 - Friday - 3/15/13

Devotional Scripture:  John 17:20-26

Devotional Thought:

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message." - John 17:20

Another prayer from the Rabbi/teacher/mentor. 

In yesterday's lesson, we read how Jesus prayed for his disciples in the work they would carry on in His name.

Today we read that Jesus offered a prayer for those who would come to believe through the teaching, preaching and ministry of his disciple's.

I don't know about you . . . but the prayer in today's scripture lesson strikes me as coming from someone who had no doubt what-so-ever that his disciples would have a positive influence on others.

Jesus believed they would have a great impact! 

He believed in the message he taught them!

Jesus taught the message to them well because he himself was absolutely clear and confident about who he had received his "curriculum" from.

Faith can be a difficult thing.  It takes time to work through everything we have been taught, to mine it for gold, to separate the wheat from the chaff so that we can:

        -Know with confidence and certainty WHAT we believe, and
        -Know with confidence and certainty WHY we believe it!

When you find yourself in a structured learning experience, or when you come across one of the many teachable moments of the day . . . stop and pray for your teacher.

When you find yourself in teaching situations . . . pray for those learning from you . . . especially those who learn from watching everything you do.

Never underestimate the influence you have, as a person of faith, on others around you.  Your sphere of influence is much greater than you think. 

Clearing away and making straight the path to Easter is something that the people around us have been watching us do for the past 27 days.   Pray for those who have been learning how to get ready for Easter  . . . by watching us.

God's grace still amazes me . . . ><>