Of all the prayers that have ascended to our heavenly Father, there has never been a prayer like this one. Neither has there ever been a man like the one who prayed this prayer. Its answer will reveal a people unlike any yet seen upon the earth, a people who care for one another, bear one another's burdens, and lay down their lives for one another. They are a people who are without guile or greed, jealousy or malice, selfishness or hatred. A people who will not be divided. A people united in unshakable and everlasting love. A people who, as Eve was taken from Adam's side in one moment of creation, this women - this "bride of Christ" - has been preparing herself for 2000 years. And she is about to "come forth" in answer to this prayer.

All of creation has been waiting for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God.⁽⁸⁾ When Christ's bride comes forth in her glory, the whole earth will sit up and take notice. And they will at last believe that Jesus Christ has been sent to them by the only true and living God - and they will know that God loves them.⁽⁹⁾ All this is in answer to a prayer.

The Mystery

But, 2000 years! Why hasn't the prayer been answered until now? Why hasn't the church manifested the unity that Jesus asked the Father for?

Because the church can not make it happen! Only God can answer this prayer. And this is what we've failed to see: this is the veil we've been unable to rend. Thus our response to this prayer has been either to downplay or ignore its significance, or to try to bring about the answer in our own strength. What we can do is quicken the answer by making the prayer our own, by being a people who - like watchmen on the wall - take no rest for ourselves and give God no rest until He answers this pray. Until He establishes the church, the bride of Christ, as a praise in the whole earth.⁽¹⁰⁾

The Revelation

The answer to the prayer of Jesus is nothing less than the supernatural opening of the eyes of the unsaved so that they KNOW that the Father sent the Son. Jesus prayed that we be one as He and the Father are one, and He declared that our unity would be the most powerful evangelistic tool the church has ever know. Jesus knew that only the Father could bring to pass the unity that the Godhead shares. He didn't charge His disciples with the mystery of unity, nor did He look to later generations for the answer to the great burden that was on His heart, but He asked this of His Father and ours.

Footnotes:

8. Romans 8:19-22
9. John 17:20-23
10. Isaiah 62:6-7, Revelation 21: 9-11