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Every time I pray, I pray for my
unborn, unknown, unseen, unnamed biological and spiritual descendants. (Yeah, I
do)! I pray that God will bless, help, encourage and save them, and use them to
impact those whom God sets in their pathway.
I can't pretend that I came up with
this concept. For you see in John Chapter 17, Jesus, Himself prayed for His
spiritual descendants. (In case you somehow missed it, He didn't have any
biological ones).
Following are the words of Jesus'
prayer for you and me:
6 “I have revealed you to those whom
you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they
have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes
from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They
knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9
I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given
me, for they are yours." (John 17:6-9)
And I think He set the standard here.
It is not only pleasing to God that we pray for our unborn, unknown, unseen,
unnamed biological and spiritual descendants, I believe it is His expectation
and command that we do so.
And yet, and yet every time I mention
this concept to fellow believers, it's like, "I never thought of doing
that!" (Well, maybe they should)!
I have often mused that some of my own
believing ancestors from a thousand years or more ago, perhaps in Scotland or
Ireland or Germany or Italy prayed for me. I can be sure that our Savior, Lord
and Master did. All I have to do is read John 17. He set the standard. He was
not only praying for the Twelve, but for His disciples of all the ages.
I am thankful for Jesus' prayer. I am
thankful He backed His prayer up with actions. I am thankful for my biological
and spiritual ancestors who prayed for me when I was still unborn, unknown,
unseen and unnamed. And I am determined to follow their lead and pray for those
who are among my biological and spiritual lineage, who will remain unborn,
unknown, unseen and unnamed to me, 'til we gather around the throne of the
God-man; when the (re)born, (re)named, the known and the seen among His people
will worship the One who loved us and gave Himself for us.
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