Read: John 17:6-12
Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. (v. 11 NIV)
Ubuntu is a traditional African concept that comes from the Zulu and Xhosa languages. Roughly translated as “humanity towards others,” the ethical values of ubuntu include “respect for others, helpfulness, community, sharing, caring, trust, and unselfishness” (New World Encyclopedia).
This idea from another culture emphasizes an idea that should feel familiar to believers too. We need each other and find fulfillment in relationships—both with God and with other believers, just as the disciples did. Being unified under the name of Christ is powerful, and in today’s reading, Jesus Christ asked his Father to protect us under his powerful name.
Ecclesiastes 4:12 states, “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (NIV). The triune God is a prime example of strength in unity. Jesus asks his Father to protect the disciples so that they too are unified. The twelve disciples were typical humans with a wide variety of backgrounds, skills, and wildly different and clashing personalities. Only through divine power could they minister with a united front. This is one reason Jesus came, to bring people together, to encourage us to be unified with the Father, Son, and Spirit as our example. In our broken world, we need God’s power and protection as we figure out how to “be one as [they] are one” (John 17:11).
As you pray, ask the Father, through the Son, to give you the power of the Spirit as you pursue unity with other believers.
About the Author
Denise Vredevoogd
Denise Vredevoogd is a private piano teacher who lives near Grand Rapids, Michigan. She enjoys reading, writing, gardening, and spending time in nature with her adult sons and daughters.
