Day: December 18, 2024

OLD TESTAMENT: Zechariah 7-8
POETRY: Psalm 145
NEW TESTAMENT: John 17:20-26

Zechariah 8:14-17(NLT)  For this is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: I was determined to punish you when your ancestors angered me, and I did not change my mind, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. ¹⁵ But now I am determined to bless Jerusalem and the people of Judah. So don’t be afraid. ¹⁶ But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace. ¹⁷ Don’t scheme against each other. Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth. I hate all these things, says the LORD.”

Psalms 145:3-7(NLT)
³ Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise!
No one can measure his greatness.
⁴ Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts;
let them proclaim your power.
⁵ I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor
and your wonderful miracles.
⁶ Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue;
I will proclaim your greatness.
⁷ Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness;
they will sing with joy about your righteousness.

John 17:20-26(NLT)  I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; ²¹ 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. ²² And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: ²³ I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. ²⁴ “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. ²⁵ O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. ²⁶ And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

Father God we pray that we will be one in purpose with your Son just as he is one in purpose with You.  We are so in awe of your great love that you have loved us with.  Give us the knowledge and wisdom to tell your Word to the world and to help to reach those You have chosen.  We declare your faithfulness to our children, our friends and to all those with whom we have the opportunity to share.  In Jesus’ wonderful name we pray this day.

Our reading this day takes us through a strong admonition from God in Zechariah to walk in God’s truth with each other.  We need to deal honestly and truthfully with all, using the measure of truth that God has given us to judge and deal with all.  Our speaking the truth should bring peace to each situation.  This is many times very difficult to achieve.  Most people will see as a good verdict one that only gives them what they want.  God calls us to make peace which is to speak the truth – but in the love which we see as the standard for our conduct and thinking from our reading in John 17.  The Christ in us is our strength to speak the words which will give grace to the hearers and bring resolution to situations where we find ourselves.  Our witness is not to prove that we are right but to show the grace and love of God to people.  The goodness of God brings people to repentance and salvation.  Make our message one that is positive and uplifting giving grace to the hearers. 

Jesus Christ is one with the Father??  What does this mean??  Some trinitarians like to use these verses to demonstrate that Jesus is God the Son.  But then it says that he desires that we would be one with them also.  Does this make us part of the godhead?  We must read the Word of God as it is written.  The purpose of asking for us to become one with Christ and one with God is that we must become one in purpose with them.  God is the originator of salvation; Jesus Christ is the way that God brings salvation to us.  We are the way that others will hear and believe to come to righteousness also.  This is what it means to be one in purpose.  Other people are going to see Christ through our lives and speech.  When we see Christ, then we come to a larger understanding of who our Father God is.  God has revealed Himself through His Word but especially through the life of Christ.  It is God who is in Christ who is in you today.  This should give us confidence and power in this world to do good, especially to reconcile people back to the Heavenly Father. 

2 Corinthians 5:19-20(NLT) For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. ²⁰ So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

Have a great day walking and talking with your Father and His Son.  Hear the words of knowledge and wisdom He speaks in your ears to bring His message of hope alive for you and all you meet.  True peace is to bring back together that which is apart.

2 Timothy 1:9-10(NLT) For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. ¹⁰ And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.

-Tom Siderius

Reflection Questions

How do we grow in our spiritual relationship with the Father and His Son?

Who can you minister peace to today?