Read John 17 in your personal Bible or at the link provided.
Review
1. Who all did Jesus pray for in this passage?
2. What things did He pray for?
3. How did He describe all believers in verse 23?
Jesus finished His final conversation with His disciples and spent time in prayer before His arrest. He prayed for those He’d taught while He was on earth and those who would believe in Him. For all Christians He prayed that they would be one, unified through His work on the cross for God’s glory – unified through His great love.
We’re included in this prayer. Verse 23 reassures us that God loves us just as much as He loves Jesus. Do we believe that’s true about ourselves and everyone around us? And because He loves us, He’s always attentive to our prayers. When we live knowing that we’re loved by God, we can have confidence to approach Him in prayer and to share His love with those around us.
You have been made in God’s image, and so has everyone around you. It’s easy to forget that in a divisive world, but Jesus has prayed for you, asking God to keep you safe from the enemy, sending you to continue spreading His good news, and desiring for you to experience the unity He has with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Respond
How do you react to knowing Jesus has prayed for you? Do you believe that God loves you just as much as He loves Jesus? How does that truth affect your life and your relationships with others?