His Prayer For You
By Susan Klein
“My prayer is not
for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me…”
John 17:20 (NIV)
I’m
sure you would agree that there is immense comfort to be found in knowing
someone is praying for you. Like me, You can probably recall a time when you
walked through a very difficult circumstance, knowing that the prayers of
others were the extended liferaft keeping you from sinking into utter despair.
There is no denying the power of prayer, and the blanket of peace God provides through
those prayers when struggles weigh heavy on our shoulders. A praying friend is
a treasure indeed!
But
did you know that Jesus Himself has prayed for you? Not only did He intercede
on behalf of His friends, the disciples, but He prayed for you and for me
before we were even born! In case you haven’t visited there recently, let me
take you to the book of John (chapter 17) to show you what exactly He prayed
for you.
He prayed for:
your
belief (v.20)
your
unity of mind and purpose with fellow believers (v.21)
your
union with Himself and with God, just as they are “one” (v.21)
His
glory to be revealed in you (v.22)
His
constant indwelling of you and presence with you (v.23, 24)
your
completion/His perfecting of you (v.23)
the
world to see how much God loves you (v.23)
His
continuing to make the Father known to you (v.26)
your
future of sweet communion with Him (v.24, 26)
Oh
beloved of Christ, can’t you just feel those arms of love enveloping you and the
blanket of peace settling over you as you read these scriptural truths? There
has never been a greater friend or intercessor on your behalf! And not only did
He pray that prayer for you, but He continues to intercede for you and for
those who have yet to enter this world. He is our one constant in life. He is
before all things and in Him all things hold together (Colossians 1:17).
Take
a moment to re-read these truths, letting them really sink in, and then thank
the One who prayed them for you.
GOING DEEPER:
1.
How does knowing that Jesus prayed for you impact your perspective on life and
your current circumstances?
2. How can Jesus’ prayer be an example for the way
you intercede for others?
FURTHER READING:
Susan
is a We Women Bible Study Coordinator and one of its teachers. She and her
husband Mark enjoy tutoring and working with inner-city youth.
