The Savior’s Prayer

Do you remember the account of Jesus praying in the garden just before His arrest and crucifixion? He prayed for His disciples, and He prayed for you and me. How John knew what He prayed I do not know, but this is what he recorded.

“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” (John 17:20-23, NKJV).

So I’m wondering today if we are witnessing Jesus’ prayer being answered. There is so much disunity in the body of Christ that it must concern Him. But thankfully there are pockets of believers where unity and love are drawing new converts to the Savior. Are we part of such a community?

And I’m wondering what else Jesus is praying for us today in heaven. I know He thwarts Satan’s attempts to discredit us before God the Father. Paul says in Romans 8:34 (J. B. Phillips),  “Who would dare to accuse us, whom God has chosen? The judge himself has declared us free from sin. Who is in a position to condemn? Only Christ, and Christ died for us, Christ rose for us, Christ reigns in power for us, Christ prays for us!”

The writer of Hebrews says that Jesus “is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:25, NIV). Doesn’t that encourage your heart today? Knowing that the Savior hasn’t left you to fend for yourself? He’s pleading on our behalf and He sent His Spirit to help us and pray for us. “The Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27, NKJV).

You can be assured that you are being prayed for today. Jesus and the Spirit are lifting you up to the throne of God and so am I. So that’s a triple intercession. Aren’t you thrilled to be part of that process?