Scripture
15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.
Reflection
Jesus, praying for His closest disciples, prays that God the Father will not take Jesus’s disciples out of the world but protect them from the evil one.
God wants us to live in the world but He does not want us to be influenced by the world. The world or the system of the world is under the influence of Satan. As a result, the world promotes the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). Every imaginable sin can be summed up in those three evils. The Lord Jesus Christ wants us to be in the world, as we are the salt of the earth in a rotting, decaying world, we are the light of the world in a world in darkness, we are Christ’s ambassadors. The Lord is counting on us to do the ministry of reconciliation, to preach the Gospel to non-Christians, so that they can be reconciled with God. As we live in the world, we will encounter trouble, tribulations, but we should take heart, for Jesus has overcome the world. We should be at peace knowing that, Jesus will always be with us (Matthew 28:20).
Thoughts for the day
- What does this passage tell you about God or Jesus?
- What do you feel God is telling you through this passage?
- How will you respond to God’s love for you?
Prayer
Wherever you are, take time to acknowledge God and trust in Him again. Give God your worries. Take a moment to give each thing you are worrying about back to God.
