John 17 The Voice

²⁴ “Father, I long for the time when those You have given Me can join Me in My place so they may witness My glory, which comes from You. You have loved Me before the foundations of the cosmos were laid. ²⁵ Father, You are just; though this corrupt world order does not know You, I do. These followers know that You have sent Me. ²⁶ I have told them about Your nature; and I will continue to speak of Your name in order that Your love, which was poured out on Me, will be in them. And I will also be in them.”

It’s an amazing thing to see someone come to faith and suddenly have their eyes open to the things of God – to God Himself. The sudden growing awareness that God is a God of forgiveness and that the Spirit of God, now residing in the person, gives witness to what is true. It’s hard to explain, but it’s evident to watch.

I remember Steve – a heavy metal rock and roller who walked into our church and suddenly came to faith in Jesus. He was so excited by what appeared to him (and me) a daily revelation of God’s presence in His life. He was making decisions about changing aspects of His life, not because we were telling him, but he would say things like “it suddenly seemed like the right thing to do”. And it was.

People who come to faith are energizing to those of us who have been “on the way” for a while.

In this dialogue, recorded by John, between Jesus and HIs Father in Heaven, you see something of the joy Jesus has for those who follow Him. And sometimes the people who follow Jesus are not the people we expect.