John 17:20-26 --- “Jesus prayed, ‘I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, 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. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.’ ”
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Did you know that Jesus prayed for you? While sitting at the Passover meal with His friends, all of the world was beginning to close in upon Him. He had been betrayed by one who was closest to Him. Soldiers were coming to arrest Him, beat Him, put Him to death. With all of this going on, He still took the time to pray for you.
This part of John’s Gospel tells us of Jesus’ final time with the Disciples. There is so much happening from the beginning of chapter 13, when He first settles in with His friends, commencing His final time with them as a free man by washing their feet. It’s as if there is a mad rush for Him to pray and tell the Disciples as many things as possible before He is taken away. The sheer amount of blessed words which comes during these chapters is truly awesome.
Within all of these words, I have always been struck by one very small part of this scripture. When Jesus begins this part of His prayers, He makes special mention of you and me by saying, “I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one.” It is a brief reference, but its power and purpose is infinite. By saying this, Christ makes a point not just to pray and care for the needs of His friends who are with Him at this point, but for all of those who will ever born into the world and believe in Him, forever.
He prayed for you and for me. Christ. The Son of God who was with God in the beginning and with whom God formed the universe and all that is in it, took the small moment to make sure He captured you and me into His care. And though all words have power, the ones spoken by our Savior have the infinite power of Heaven behind them.
We should take great comfort in knowing that He spoke these words. By doing this, He transferred immense protection and power to us who believe in Him. We are powerful in Him because He spoke the words which made this so. But, we should also be humbled that the Lamb of God sweetly and simply spoke of us so lovingly.
When we are in the time of trial, when the world is crashing in around us during tough times, do we take the time to remember others? Do we pray for those in need...probably in greater need than any one of you who is reading these words at this moment...when we are also in great need? It is hard to do. But, we have a wonderful and perfect example in Jesus, who while at the time near to His own torture and death, having been betrayed, took the time to pray for you and me.
So, stand strong knowing that Jesus prayed for you. Be assured that you possess amazing power to give your gifts out to the world, if you but only recognize that the power exists because of this prayer. But also remember, that even in our own times of struggle, we need to pray for others whose needs are greater, looking to the example given so beautifully and simply to us by Jesus.
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