#soap # John 17 ## Title: Our Mission ## Scripture: (John 17:15) “I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but that you keep them safe from the evil one.” (NET) ## Observation: Jesus said He did not pray for us to be taken out of the world, but to be made safe from the evil in the world. This reminds me of a brutal picture I once saw of two wolves. One of the wolves was strong and mature while the other was a small cub. The small cub had an arrow in it and was struggling. The older wolf had many arrows and was standing strong. The caption under the picture said the goal is not to avoid arrows. The goal is to become strong enough to not be defeated by them. This is what Jesus is saying in this prayer. The goal is not to be delivered from all evil, because we have lost people to tell about the beauty of God’s love. The goal is to become safe from the evil one by learning how to lean on God and becoming strong. ## Application: Don’t see every bad thing as the end of the world. See it as a way to become stronger, because the Lord is with you. ## Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for praying for us.