Focal Passage: John 17:1-5, 21-26
Many of our day-to-day conversations consist only of small talk. An obligatory “How are you?” is quickly answered by an empty “I’m good.” While seemingly polite, these kinds of interactions do not tend to bind people together. We may get past the awkwardness of a moment, but we miss out on truly connecting with one another. We often take this same approach when we talk to God. Thankfully, Jesus offered us an example of the kind of prayer that nurtures intimacy with God. We learn from Christ some of the ways we can pray.
We can pray for God’s glory to be seen. Jesus prayed that God would get the glory from the sacrifice that He was about to make on the cross. God’s own glory is His highest goal and our highest good. When we pray as Jesus prayed, we are asking for God’s will that His goodness and holiness be magnified among all people. We are aligning our hearts with God’s heart when we agree that we want His will to be done.
We can pray for unity with God and among believers. Jesus prayed with the conviction that God wanted all believers to be unified just as He and the Father are unified. When we are united with Christ, we are united with others who are in Him. We can pray that this unity in the church be fully realized, bringing glory to God.
Lastly, we can pray for God’s love to be known and experienced. Jesus asked that the love that God has for Him to be made known to others. The love that God the father has for His son, Jesus, is vast! God wants all to know this love and that’s the reason He sent Jesus to die for us. As we pray for others to know Jesus, we are praying that they know the riches and depths of God’s love.