We are Supposed to be Here

Jesus wants us here. During his prayer in John 17 He made this famous request of the Father for us:

John 17:15 (ESV) I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

In that one phrase Jesus establishes the guardrails of Christian living in a world under the bondage of sin and the enemy. 

First, Jesus wants us here. Right where you are is where He's placed you for a purpose. He wants us not hoping for soon escape or digging holes to bury our talents, or running from society and hiding away from all the evil people "out there." He wants us rubbing shoulders with those far from God. How else will they ever know Him and what He's like?

I read an article about news anchors. It was illuminating watching them confess how they didn't have a single Evangelical Christian neighbor. No wonder Christians are so poorly represented in the news outlets! We are not around them and so they are only listening to their "father" the enemy, and painting an all-too familiar caricature of crazy Christians most Christians would avoid. We are to be IN their world, in their neighborhood, just as Jesus came to ours.

Second, Jesus wants us kept from the evil one. This protection of God is available to us and this is Jesus' prayer for us. We are to resist satan by drawing near to God. Not simply trying not to sin, but running from satan's presence and influence in whatever form it may take. Our holy calling is to be separated TO God, not simply delivered FROM the evil one.

John's Gospel is tremendously focused on what it means to be incarnational. it begins with Jesus moving into our neighborhood and loving us and seeking us out. It ends with Jesus asking and praying to God for us to do the same. We are to be in our world loving and seeking to save the lost.  Later in his epistle, John would write these powerful words most likely based on the prayer he heard from Jesus that night after supper:

1 John 4:17 (ESV) as he is so also are we in this world.

We are supposed to be here. In our jobs, at our schools, among those far from the Lord so that there is a member of His body walking among the people who desperately need Him. And we can do this by the Spirit He has given us. We can remain pure through the Spirit's power! We can walk with our heads up and our eyes forward and not faint and not fall because HIS power is more than enough. 

PRAYER:
Father, help me to understand and know the power that enables me to stay strong in You no matter who is around or what is happening. Help me to shine for You and live for You for the glory of Jesus. Help me to represent Your Son in truth and righteousness by the power of the Holy Spirit. I receive this by faith today, Amen.

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