Try turning John 15 into a prayer and see what happens!

John 15 is the famous gospel passage where Jesus speaks very intimately to his disciples about his love for them, and how the disciples can love him back by abiding or living in Him, by loving others as He has loved them, and by obeying His commandments. Out of this relationship Jesus promises that God the Father will bless them with joy and peace, will grant them all that they ask Him, and will send them the Holy Spirit to equip and empower them for this new life.

I was reading this chapter a few days back and it suddenly occurred to me how I could turn it all into a prayer from me to Him. So, instead of reading it as words from Christ to the disciples, I turned it into words from me back to Christ – that is, by replacing all the second person’s with first persons and vice versa (so replacing ‘Me/I’ with ‘you’, and replacing ‘you’ with ‘I/me’). I also turned all the ‘My Fathers’ into ‘Our Fathers’. It sounds odd I know, and it will feel a bit awkward and clunky at first, but try it a few times and you will stumble less! When I persisted, I felt the force of this passage afresh as it became my words to Christ, acknowledging His authority in my life, anticipating a wonderfully intimate relationship with him and God our Father. I also felt His presence in my life, as He has chosen me to love and bless, and for me to love and bless others in return. 

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