December 17 - Great Intercessor

December 17 – Great Intercessor (John 17:1-26)

We all use different postures when we pray whether it be on our backs (or fronts) before we go to sleep or when we wake up, at our desks with heads bowed, sometimes in our cars with eyes wide open (please!), at church with reverence, curled up in a favorite chair, on our knees, standing with arms raised in worship.  There are some who make an intentional time every day to set the world aside and come into God’s presence alone, others who pray through every moment of the day.  The joy of prayer is that it isn’t confined to a single rule-set, it is as creative as the people who participate!

“Jesus looked toward heaven and prayed.” (John 17:1) 

With those words, the most glorious intercessory prayer written begins.  As Jesus speaks out loud to the Father, the words speak to our hearts.

The first pericope in my NIV Bible is entitled, ‘Jesus Prays for Himself.’  Nothing could be further from the truth.  As you read through this passage (John 17:1b-5), you find that He isn’t asking for anything except that He be glorified so that the Father may be glorified and so that the world may know the Father.

As Jesus moves into praying for His disciples (John 17:6-19), we see the great love He has for these men.  He prays for their protection and in John 17:17, He prays that God sanctify them.  He sends them into the world as God sent Him … that’s a sermon in and of itself!

When Jesus prays for all believers (John 17:20-26), He prays for unity, He prays that we will be with Him in glory and He prays that God’s love will be in us. 

Jesus’ love for the world comes from the Father’s great love for us.  It is apparent in His words.  He continues to intercede for us.  Spend time in these words, sense the immensity of His love.