God Wants to Come Close to You

"That I myself may be in them" (John 17:26). These were the final words of Jesus' last recorded prayer, and they express His desire to be in us. I like the way late Reverend Robb French said it:

"Adam and Eve had the privilege of walking with God in the cool of the day. That was wonderful. But God said, 'I want to come closer than that.'

"God came down on Mt. Sinai and invited Moses to enter into His very presence. There in that awesome majesty, God revealed His law. That was wonderful. But God said, 'I want to come closer than that. I want to enter into intimate fellowship with humanity.'

"So He commanded Moses to build a Tabernacle. And in the Tabernacle He placed the ark and the mercy seat. Then God came down. The Talmud claims that a pale blue light hovered over the mercy seat. God dwelt in the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle. But God said, 'I want to come closer than that.'

"Again God came down. This time in the form of human flesh. He was born as a babe and dwelt among us. He suffered and died for us, and yet amazingly, God said, 'I want to come closer than that.'

"'If you will tarry in the upper room, I will come down and move inside of you.' That is almost too sacred to talk about! What wonder! The triune God, in the person of the Holy Ghost, dwelling in this unworthy temple of mine!"

Dear Jesus, I pray for the fulfillment of Your prayer to indwell Your people so the world will see You.

"I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me" (John 17:20, 21).