Our Good Father, as we look at the words of Christ in John 17, we notice immediately how ultimate, how “spiritual life-or-death” these requests are. It’s not that Jesus doesn’t care about our daily realities – we see in the Lord’s Prayer and through his actions that he does. But help us to also get to the bottom of what’s going on with our souls the way this night-before-the-Cross prayer does!
We join with verses 1-5 in asking that you glorify Jesus in our midst! Elevate the finished work of the Cross in our esteem. Continue to confound the wisdom of this world through the profundity of the Christ event and the abundant life that unfolded for your people at the Resurrection. Thank you that Jesus sits on the throne of glory, sharing in the glory he had from before the world existed and yet through Jesus’ Incarnation, through his Spirit, and through his revealed word, we can rightly know you, the immortal invisible God.
Thank you that you prepared us as a people for Jesus. We know in truth that you sent him. We approach you through him and him alone! Keep us in your name. Keep us. We know that the whole world is against our belonging to you. Keep us with your word. Help us to live out the mystery that we are “kept for Jesus Christ,” and yet are told to “keep yourselves in the love of God,” but at the bottom of it all you alone are “able to keep” us “from stumbling and to present [us] with before the presence of [your] glory with great joy” (Jude 1, 21, 24).
Our Lord Jesus sent us into the world. Teach us to take that commissioning seriously. Protect us from the schemes of the evil one that are afoot in this world – the desires of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life….(1 John 2:15-17). But enable us to live in such a way that the world is not protected from our testimony, and from your word through us – in our workplaces, in our places of leisure, in our neighborhood, amid friendships and family relations with unbelievers!
Father, grant us the love, wisdom, and obedience to be one, just as the Holy Trinity is one. We want to be united within The Source congregation – across all age or interest groups. We also long to be united with your true people everywhere. Make us quick to celebrate union with those from many different churches who rely on your inerrant word and who trust in the finished work of Christ alone to draw near to you through faith.
Jesus prayed, “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.” Yes, Father, we want to see that glory! Give us eyes and ears and even unknown senses that we might perceive how our greatest good waits for us there with the Son in your presence! Forgive us for how this world has become too much to us, and we can’t even imagine the delight of life with you forever. Show us how that life will be more real, more joyful, more satisfying than anything we’ve experienced in this good but fallen realm. Increase our longing for Jesus! Remind us today and every day to set our minds on things that are above, knowing that our lives are hidden there, and “when Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:1-4). We ask these things in the name of our Lord, confident of your good pleasure – Amen!