When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
“I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:1-26
To me, this is the Lord’s prayer. It is not an example of how to pray, but his actual prayer, a personal intimate petition to His Father. We get an intimate window into His prayer life.
Jesus asked to be glorified that it would glorify the Father. He acknowledged that His authority and the gift of eternal life. He was on earth to provide it was all that they would know God. Any glory that comes our way should be pointed back to God. He also confirmed His identity and purpose, but also pointed to those He was called to reach. Jesus knew His purpose came from God and pointed back to God but was also about the people He was called to bring to God. We too are called to a specific set of people. We might not be a pastor, teacher or the like but our ministry on earth is about the people we are called to reach.
Jesus then began to pray for the needs of those He was reaching. He reminded God that they are His children. He asked God to keep them as He left the world, knowing that His death was soon approaching. He prayed for unity with God and that they would have unity with each other. He asked that those people that were His followers would have His joy and be grounded in His word. He asked not that His followers would be taken from the world but that instead God would keep them from the evil one. Jesus asked that they would be sanctified in the truth even as they went into the world.
And He also prayed for us!
“I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. John 17:20-21
In unity, Jesus transferred His glory to us. It is on our unity as believers that the world knows Jesus was sent by God to save this world. It is our unity that declare God’s love for them. Jesus’s desire was for God to be known and His love to be known.
Lord, I thank You for Jesus’ prayer as an example of how we can come to You! Lord, I want my life to glorify You in every way. I know that the authority I have comes only from You and I know that You have placed a plan and a purpose on my life. I understand that my calling includes reaching others for your kingdom. I pray that every seed I plant, water, or harvest would bring You glory.
I know that you have called me as a therapist, coach, teacher, mother, wife, and Mimi. You have placed me in Your Body, and within my family and with my friends. Lord each one of these roles gives me an influence into the lives of others. Let me be a godly influence in every person’s life, let my words and my example point them to You. Lord as much as I care about people and love those in my sphere, I know that You love them more. You sent Jesus to die for each and everyone of us. Lord I want You to be known and I want Your love for others to be known, I ask these things in Jesus name amen.
Restoring Voice 
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