The Farewell Prayer of Jesus (2/2)

In the last post, we began meditating on the Farewell Prayer of Jesus. Here is a fun fact - This prayer in John 17:1-26 is the longest prayer that Jesus prayed (and is one of my favorite prayers of all time). There is something powerful about how Jesus prays for His disciples. His sacrificial and caring love is made truly imminent in His last words. Indeed, not only did he pray for His immediate disciples...Jesus also prayed for all believers including you, me, and anyone who has heard the Gospel message. Let us look at the remaining portion of John 17:13-26 that we did not read in the last post.

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Jesus prays for all who will believe in the future which includes all of us today! In addition, Jesus desires all of us to be where He is (seated in heaven) and to see the glory of God. Just imagine for one split moment how glorious heaven will be when we stand before the Creator. How do you imagine God's glory? A brilliant white light? Beautiful crystal? A gentle warm smile? Indescribable awe and beauty? Peace that overcomes all else? A joy that conquers all sorrow? No matter how you picture it...I can promise you one thing...God's glory will blow your mind and overwhelm your very soul. There is nothing that compares to God's glory in all the universe. I hope you have enjoyed reading John 17 and are filled with amazement!