A Unique Prayer

The Lord Jesus walked this earth alone and misunderstood. The closer He came to the cross, the lonelier He became. How it must have hurt Him to know that only a few hours before His crucifixion, even His closest confidants would abandon Him. At the same time, He rested in the firm assurance that His Father would never leave Him. Because He served Him in unceasing devotion, He always knew His presence (see John 8:29). Twice it is said of Abraham and Isaac, “They went both of them together” (Gen. 22:6, 8). David says in Psalm 23:4, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” With this confidence, the Son of God looked up to heaven and spoke with His Father.

 

What can we learn from this most sublime and unique prayer of Jesus for our prayer life? Just a few brief points:

 

• The Son of God made the Father’s glory His first priority in prayer. He asked for His own glory so that, from heaven, He could glorify the Father. How would He do this? By giving eternal life to those who believe in Him. In this way, Christ, who is eternal life Himself (see 1 John 5:20), is seen in those who manifest eternal life in their walk. They show something of Him, and this glorifies the Father.
• In His prayer, the Lord Jesus spoke about facts. He spoke of the Father’s will and of what He Himself and His disciples had done. We can do that as well. We don’t have to think that because God knows everything anyway, we no longer need to tell Him these We can thank Him, bring our requests before Him, and talk to Him about all things that concern us.
• Six times He addressed God as Father in this prayer. Once He called Him “Holy Father,” and once He called Him “Righteous Father.” God is Father from eternity—a glory that was revealed in a wonderful way only through the coming of the Son of God. The Son lived in the constant enjoyment of this relationship and expressed it also in prayer. Furthermore, He named characteristics of the Father that connect to the content of His prayer. We can address God in our prayers as He revealed Himself and as it corresponds to our specific prayer Because we are children and sons of God, we can address our Creator as Father—yes, even say “Abba! Father!” (Rom. 8:15)! If we feel the need of His grace, we can turn to Him as the “God of all grace” (1 Pet. 5:10). When we and others need comfort, we have in Him the “God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3, the Greek word can also be translated ‘encouragement’). And when we face seemingly insoluble problems, we know Him as the “Almighty” for whom nothing is impossible.
• He asked for preservation, unity and sanctification for His disciples, so that they might enjoy the love of the Father and have His joy within them (see John 17).

 

Twice we read in the Gospels that the Lord Jesus said, “I will,” or “I desire.” The first time He said it in relation to the cleansing of the leper (see Mark 1:41)—a picture of cleansing or salvation from our sins. In His prayer in John 17, He expressed it in terms of the future of the saved. The Hebrew servant said to his Lord, “I will not go out free” (Ex. 21:5). In Gethsemane the Lord prayed, “Not as I will, but as you will” (Mt. 26:39). But when it came to those whom He bought with His blood, He explicitly spoke of His desire, His will, that they should be with Him to see His glory (see John 17:24).

 

Is it your heart’s deep desire that the eternal life you have been given should be visible to the outside world? Do you think about God’s qualities when you talk with Him? In quiet moments, recall the promises of God, who gives us courage and says, “Behold, I am with you always… I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Mt. 28:20; Heb. 13:5)!