Hardly a day goes by that I don’t pray for those who will follow me, both my biological and spiritual descendants; those whose advent could very well be a thousand years hence.
My words may vary, but generally address
the following concerns:
“Father God, would you bless,
help, protect and encourage my unborn, yet unseen, and presently unknown
progeny; who I will only know in the hereafter. Would you bring them to a
saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and would you allow them to exercise great
impact over those whom you set in their pathway. Amen.”
Now, I expect very few Christians
pray a prayer like this. Those with whom I have shared this concept seem
unacquainted with, (though at least momentarily impressed) with the idea.
I have been praying this prayer
for many years, longer, I think, than I knew or realized that someone much
greater than myself prayed the same prayer before me.
No, I am not referring to my illustrious
ancestors, though I cannot begin to count the number of preachers and devote
believers who have graced my family tree. And I have often wondered if one of
my ancient kinsmen or kinswomen breathed a prayer for their unborn, unseen,
unknown biological or spiritual progeny, among whom was me. (Admittedly
subjective and biased on my part, but I am sure of it. I have been too blessed,
helped, protected, and encouraged, and allowed too much impact for it to have
been any other way).
Do you know that the notion of
praying for one’s unborn, unseen, unknown biological and spiritual descendants
is scriptural? Do you realize that the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the
Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End prayed for you two thousand years
ago? (Yeah, He did)!
Notice these words from John
Chapter 17
“My prayer is not for (the twelve)
alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 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. I
have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are
one, 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 them even as you have loved me.
“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.
“Righteous Father, though the
world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you 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.”
How encouraging it should be to
all believers that our Lord Jesus Christ role modeled such a prayer for us, but
more profoundly insightful that He prayed for you; that He prayed for you
while you were yet unborn, unseen (but certainly not unknown).
by William McDonald, PhD. Copyright pending
No comments:
Post a Comment