Jesus Prays for You

John 17:1-26

¹When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, ²since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. ³And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. ⁴I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. ⁵And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. ⁶I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. ⁷Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. ⁸For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. ⁹I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. ¹⁰All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. ¹¹And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. ¹²While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. ¹³But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. ¹⁴I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁵I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. ¹⁶They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁷Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. ¹⁹And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. ²⁰I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, ²¹that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ²²The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, ²³I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. ²⁴Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. ²⁵O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. ²⁶I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Here’s another scene that is helpful to visualize. Jesus is speaking exclusively to His Disciples. The crowds have gone away and the Pharisees are off plotting His demise. In chapter 16 we hear some of the final words that Jesus speaks to His Disciples as He prepares them for His death. Now, in chapter 17 Jesus lifts His eyes heavenward and speaks to the Father. But for me it is important to remember that the Disciples are hearing this prayer that Jesus lifts to the Father on their behalf.

I don’t know if you’ve ever had someone pray for you while you sat there and listened. It is a unique experience. Remember, Jesus isn’t talking to the Disciples at this point. He’s talking to His Father. But the Disciples get to hear His heart for them in these passionate words. We know that Jesus often went off to be alone with the Father and spent entire nights praying and communing with the Father. But we are rarely privy to what they talk about. Here we get a front row seat. They talk about us! Jesus loves us deeply and so goes to His Father on our behalf. As you read through this passage (again) put your name into the appropriate spaces. The passage is recreated below to help you see how this works. It can be quite moving to see yourself in the Scriptures this way.

I have manifested your name to Carolyn whom you gave me out of the world. Yours she was, and you gave her to me, and she has kept your word. Now Carolyn knows that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given her the words that you gave me, and she has received them and has come to know in truth that I came from you; and she has believed that you sent me. I am praying for her. I am not praying for the world but for Carolyn whom you have given me, for she is yours.

You get the idea. It will turn your attention around to know that Jesus was praying for you when He lifted His eyes toward heaven that day. His heart and passion after you is so great that He takes the time to pray for you – personally. He knows that you will struggle in this world but He has not left you alone. He forgives your sins so that you have this kind of attention from God. He calls down the greatest support and strength there is – God the Father. Read the prayer again and make it personal. Pray this Scripture for yourself today and receive His mighty grace for you.