"I PRAY FOR THEM"

John 17:7-11      (1599 Geneva Bible)
"7 Now they know that all things whatsoever thou hast given me, are of thee.
8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me, and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and have believed that thou hast sent me.
9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me: for they are THINE.
10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them.
11 And now am I no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy Name, even them whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are."

Recently my Sunday School teacher commented about using his copy of the Geneva Bible as a study tool. This morning I thought I would read some of the Geneva Bible.  I went to John 17 and I was reading through the chapter.  When I got to verse 9 I had to read it over and over for a number of times. "I pray for them: I pray NOT for the world, but for them which THOU hast given ME: for they are THINE"!!

To realize that the Son of GOD prays for me is a rather humbling matter. Sure, HE is GOD INCARNATE and HIS presence is without description, but HE actually says that HE prays for me, "for they are THINE."  I am one of GOD's children, so JESUS paid a ransom for my soul "that they may be one as we are."

If a person BELIEVES, the words spoken by the Son of GOD to JEHOVAH GOD "Keep them in thy Name" has to be the most comforting words one can imagine. To know the Creator of all is keeping me safe in HIS protection brings peace and joy unmatched.

When I was about 8 years old, a storm was near our house.  The winds were howling, thunder and lightning were prevalent, and my mom and two sisters and I were debating on whether to go to my grandparents house, which was only about 200 feet away.  All of the sudden the electricity went out and the breaker box "clicked"!  Without saying anything to anyone, I was out the door RUNNING to my grandparents. I thought safety was with my grandparents.

GOD sometimes allows storms to surround our lives and, like that 8 year old boy, we go running for safety!  I am thankful that HIS provision gives me a place to run to.  HE prays for me!  If you are not one which "THOU hast given ME", I pray that you will seek HIM before the storms come into your life!