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Manna for the Movement: John 17:20-24
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Welcome to Manna for the Movement, short devotionals from the CCDA community to encourage you to meet with God today, wherever you find yourself on your journey. For the next five weeks, every Thursday, this series will focus on the theme of Shalom—a concept encompassing wholeness, well-being, justice, development, and harmony. It speaks to a state of right relationship with God, with one another, and with creation, where nothing is missing and nothing is broken.
In this episode, Dr. Lorenzo A. Watson leads us in meditating on John 17:20-24 through the practice of Lectio Divina.
Lorenzo A. Watson serves as the CEO/President for the Christian Community Development Association, headquartered in Chicago, IL. He is an experienced community development professional; a leader, teacher, and scholar who has long centered his work at the intersections of wholeness, education, and Biblical justice.
Lorenzo holds a BS from North Carolina State University in Computer Engineering, an MDiv from Shaw University Divinity School, and a PhD in Educational Research and Policy Analysis from NCSU. He and his spouse of 18 years, Natarsha P. Sanders, reside and serve as “community pastors” in the Doyle community of Kerrville, Texas. Lorenzo’s proven skills in multi-ethnic organizational leadership, management, and coaching, as well as his pastoral giftings and scholarship, have helped create environments of inclusion and belonging in every space to which he has been called.
Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at ccda.org. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube. If you’re looking for more devotionals, check out Donna Barber’s book, Bread for the Resistance.
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Transcript
Introduction to 'Manna for the Movement'
00:00:09
Speaker
Welcome to Manner for the Movement, short devotionals from the CCDA community to encourage you to meet with God today, wherever you find yourself on the journey.
Preparing for Meditation
00:00:19
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I'm Lorenzo Watson, and I serve as the CEO of CCDA, and I will be leading us through today's reading.
00:00:26
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This is a space where we take a few minutes out of our day to recenter ourselves and meditate on the Bible together. So find a comfortable place to sit, silence your phone, limit distractions, and let's begin.
Understanding Lectio Divina
00:00:43
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Today we will be looking at John chapter 17, verses 20 through 24 through the practice of Lectio Divina, which means divine reading in Latin. It's a meditative way of reading the Bible in which we let go of our own agendas and open ourselves to what God is trying to say to us.
00:01:01
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I will be reading from the New Revised Standard Version, updated edition.
Reflecting on John 17:20-24
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Together, let's breathe in
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and breathe out.
00:01:16
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John chapter 17, verses 20 through 24. I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their word.
00:01:31
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that they may all be one, as you, Father, 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.
00:01:45
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The glory that you have given me, I have given them, so that they may be one as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me, and I have loved them even as you have loved me.
00:02:07
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Father, I desire that those also whom you have given me may be with me where I am to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
00:02:24
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Was there a word or phrase that stood out to you in the passage? take a moment to savor that word or phrase.
00:02:35
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In the second reading, ask the Holy Spirit to lift a word or phrase that is meaningful for us today. As we read again, attune your spirit to the nudge of the Holy Spirit.
00:02:47
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John chapter 17, verses 20 through 24. I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one.
00:03:03
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As you, Father, 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. The glory that you have given me, i have given them, so that they may be one as we are one.
00:03:21
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I in them and you in me, that they may be completely one so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
00:03:36
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Father, I desire that those also whom you have given me may be with me where I am to see my glory, which you have given me because you have loved me before the foundation of the world.
00:03:55
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What stands out to you in this passage? If you are able to Whisper it to yourself, speak it out loud, or write it down and carry it with you throughout the day.
Conversing with God on Unity
00:04:07
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In the third reading, imagine God sitting in the room with you, inviting you into a conversation about this passage. We are invited to respond in prayer.
00:04:19
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John chapter 17, verses 20 through 24. through twentyf four
00:04:27
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I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their word, that they may also be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you.
00:04:42
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May they also be in us. So that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me, i have given them so that they may be one as we are one.
00:04:56
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I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one so that the world may know that you have sent me and I have loved them even as you have loved me.
00:05:10
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Father, I desire that those also whom you have given me may be with me where I am to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Exploring Oneness and Shalom
00:05:26
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What does this passage prompt in you? What questions do you want to ask? What do you want to talk to God about? For me, i like to ask God about this need for oneness.
00:05:41
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Why was it so important for Jesus to pray that we would be one? How was it even possible that he and Jesus could be one? And how are we supposed to take that and to live it out in our own lives?
00:05:55
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I would ask God about the connection of oneness to Shalom. At CCDA, we talk about Shalom as being a place where nothing is missing and nothing is broken.
00:06:10
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And I see that all through the scripture. I see it in Christ's prayer where he's praying that we would come together. Could you imagine as you look across the world and even the church today that if we were truly one,
00:06:26
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but also think about the difficulty of that prayer. We have so many differences and yet at the heart of this prayer, Jesus saw through our dividing lines and prayed unto God that we would find a way to be one.
Guided Reflection with the Holy Spirit
00:06:43
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In fact, he established that our oneness is necessary for there to be oneness anywhere else.
00:06:54
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We will continue with our final reading, this time more slowly to allow space for the Holy Spirit to speak. John chapter 17, verses 20 through 24.
00:07:08
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I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you,
00:07:23
Speaker
may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me, i have given them, so that they may be one as we are one.
00:07:38
Speaker
I in them and you in me, that they may be completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
00:07:54
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Father, I desire that those also whom you have given me may be with me where I am to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me but before the foundation of the world.
00:08:13
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I pray that as you continue on with your day, you will be reminded of this passage, God's presence and God's love for you.
Closing Thoughts and Recommendations
00:08:21
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May you experience the peace of God and move in that peace today.
00:08:26
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Thank you for listening to Manna for the Movement and meditating with us. If you would like to learn more about CCDA and how to get involved, visit CCDA.org. And also, if you'd like to continue to meditate on your own outside of these Manna for the Movement opportunities, be sure to check out Bread for the Resistance, which was written by Donna Barber, a CCDA board member.
00:08:51
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Together, let's see our communities flourish.
00:08:56
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Thank you.