The Prayer Jesus Prayed for You and Me
“I made your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love you have loved me with may be in them and I may be in them.” John 17:26 CSB
Hey friend,
Have you ever thought you knew something about a subject or topic of the Bible only to find out that you didn’t really know the depth of that topic? That exact thing happens to me all the time - especially here recently. I thought I knew all there was to know about the different scenarios in the Bible that Jesus prayed. Turns out that I didn’t know as much as I thought. The more I dig into scripture, the more I realize that I have much to learn about God’s truth.
Did you know that Jesus actually prayed for you and me before He was hanging on the cross? If you would have asked me that question before now, I would have given you my answer based on what I’ve heard other people say or based on how I thought I knew something from God’s word. And that’s why I’m so thankful for the moments that I spend reading God’s word. It’s during those moments that God reveals His truth to me and makes Jeremiah 33:3 real to me by showing me great and mighty things that I didn’t know.
John 17 is one of the most beautiful passages of scripture that I have ever read. In the previous chapters leading up to chapter 17, Jesus had been preparing His disciples for what was about to take place. He knew that His arrest and crucifixion were just around the corner and that this would be a dark time in their life. He ends his discussion with them in chapter 16 on an encouraging note by reminding His disciples that suffering was coming. However, just because suffering was surely coming, they need not fear but encouraged them to be courageous and have peace because He (Jesus) had overcome, and because He was the victor – they could have victory!
In chapter 18, Jesus will be betrayed by Judas, arrested, and put on trial. He knew this event was coming and He was ready to fulfill His calling. But after we see Him encourage His disciples in chapter 16 and before we see Him get betrayed and arrested in chapter 18, Jesus prays the most beautiful prayer in chapter 17. Recognizing that His calling was about to be fulfilled, Jesus prays for Himself in the first part of the prayer as He prays in verse one “Father, the hour has come, glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you.” Next, Jesus prays for His disciples. He knew that they would be facing some dark days and that they would need protection and peace.
But the last part of Jesus’ prayer is what grabbed my heart the most. In the last part of Jesus’ prayer in chapter 17, He prays for all believers. All believers down through the ages. Dear friend, that is you and me. In these last six verses, Jesus prayed that we would know Him, not just know about him but truly KNOW Him, and that we would know how much we are loved. John 17:26 says, “I made your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love you have loved me with may be in them and I may be in them.”
Do you hear His heart for you sweet friend?
Verse 23 says, “I am in them, and you are in me, so that they may be made completely one, that the world may know you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me.”
Moments before Jesus would be betrayed, arrested, mocked, flogged, beaten unrecognizable, and hung on an old, rugged cross for the sins of mankind, He prayed that we would know Him, and that we would feel the love of the Father. Jesus prayed that we wouldn’t just know this truth with a head knowledge, but that this truth would become such a heart knowledge that it would radically change our everyday life.
Why would He pray such a prayer for you and me? Sweet friend, it’s because He loves us enough to take our sin and shame upon Himself so that we could be reconciled back to Him. Do you hear his voice as he prayed to His Father? …So that the love you have loved me with may be in them and I may be in them.
Before Jesus endured the agony and shame, He prayed for us sweet friend. He prayed that we would know Him. Not just know about Him on Sunday from the preacher but really and truly know Him through a daily relationship with Him. God’s love leaves me speechless. He pursued us before the cross and He continues to pursue us even today.
Jesus,
Thank you for praying for me. Even knowing what was coming around the corner, you chose to pray for me. Thank you for loving me so much to take my place so that I can be redeemed back to the Father. Your love is relentless, and I can’t get over how amazing your love truly is. I praise you for being so awesome – you are wonderful. I don’t understand how you could love someone like me but I’m so thankful that you do. Please keep drawing me to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Dig Deeper:
9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1 John 4:9-11 NIV
Reflection:
Read John 17
Reflect on what all Jesus says in His prayer to God
Write out your own prayer of thanksgiving to Jesus