Intentional FaithWhen Jesus Prays for You
A Day in the Life of Jesus
There are moments in the Gospels where the curtain seems to lift, giving us a glimpse into the very heart of Jesus. John 17 is one of those holy moments. Often called the “High Priestly Prayer,” it is the final recorded prayer Jesus prays before entering Gethsemane and the suffering that would follow. Yet instead of focusing on His fear, His loneliness, or His coming agony, He turns His eyes toward His people—His first disciples and every believer who would one day follow Him. That means this prayer is not just ancient scripture; it is a living testimony that Jesus was thinking of you long before you ever thought of Him.
As I sit with today’s passage—John 17:22–26—I feel as though Jesus is pulling me closer, saying, “Listen to My heart.” His prayer is not distant or doctrinal; it is tender, personal, and overflowing with divine love. Jesus speaks to the Father about glory, unity, and love—the three deep desires He wants every believer to experience. And He prays these things with the confidence of One who knows that the Father always accomplishes His will. When Jesus prays for something, it is not a wish; it is a certainty.
Jesus Gives Us His Glory—The Glory of Unity
Jesus speaks first of the glory the Father gave Him—a glory He now shares with us. This isn’t the blazing radiance of the Transfiguration or the splendor of the Throne Room in Revelation. The glory Jesus refers to is something He wants us to experience now: the glorious unity of being one.
This unity is not superficial harmony or forced agreement. It is a deep, spiritual oneness rooted in the relationship between the Father and the Son. “I in them, and you in me,” Jesus says, revealing that unity flows from shared life, not shared opinions. What Jesus enjoys eternally with the Father—love, mutual delight, perfect fellowship—He desires for us. That is the glory offered to believers.
When I consider this, I’m humbled. Jesus could have prayed for our success, our influence, or our comfort—but He prayed for unity. Why? Because unity is the soil where love grows, where the gospel takes root, and where the world catches a glimpse of Jesus. As theologian Francis Schaeffer once said, “Christian love is the final apologetic.” When the church displays this unity, the world sees evidence of God’s heart.
But Jesus also knows how fragile unity is. That is why He prays it into existence. Unity is not something we create; it is something we protect. The Spirit forms it, but we must foster it. And so, Jesus intercedes, asking for what He knows we cannot generate on our own.
A Love That Mirrors Heaven
Jesus’ next words move even deeper: “Father… that the world will understand that you love them as much as you love me.”
This is staggering. The Father’s love for Jesus—eternal, infinite, unbroken—is the same love poured out on us. I can almost imagine Jesus leaning in, as if to make sure we don’t miss it: “as much as You love Me.”
If you’ve ever doubted your worth before God, reread that line. The Father does not simply tolerate you or accept you; He loves you with the same delight, affection, and joy He has for His Son. That truth alone could reshape your entire spiritual life.
And Jesus doesn’t stop there. He says, “I want them with Me… so they can see My glory.” This is the longing of a Savior who does not hold His people at arm’s length. He wants us close. He desires fellowship, not formality. His prayer pulses with relational longing—“Father, let them be with Me, see My glory, experience My love.” It is the desire of a Redeemer who loved us before the world began and will love us long after it ends.
Jesus’ Ongoing Revelation of the Father
Then Jesus closes with a promise: “I have revealed You to them… and I will keep on revealing You.”
Even now, Jesus continues to reveal the Father’s heart to us—through His Word, His Spirit, His people, and His providence. Revelation is not a one-time act; it is an ongoing relationship. Every day, Jesus is drawing us deeper into the Father’s love so that the same divine intimacy that fills heaven might fill our hearts.
And what is the outcome Jesus desires? “So that the mighty love You have for Me may be in them, and I in them.”
In other words:
Jesus wants us to be so rooted in the Father’s love that His own presence becomes the atmosphere of our hearts.
Living Out the Unity Jesus Prayed For
The study reminds us that unity is not simply a theological concept; it is a lived witness. Jesus prayed for this unity because it strengthens the church’s mission and amplifies the gospel. But how do we live in unity when the world is so fractious and the church often mirrors that brokenness?
Let me talk through each of the study’s points in the way I experience them personally and pastorally:
Pray for other Christians.
I’ve learned that I cannot stay frustrated with someone I consistently lift before God. Prayer softens the ground where discord wants to grow. When Jesus prayed for unity, He was modeling the very practice He calls us into. Interceding for others opens space for grace to breathe.
Avoid gossip.
Gossip is unity’s quiet killer. It corrodes trust, breeds suspicion, and tears at the fabric Jesus prayed to protect. I’ve found that the moment I refuse to entertain gossip—even inwardly—the atmosphere shifts. It is one of the simplest ways to honor Jesus’ prayer.
Build others up.
Encouragement is a spiritual discipline. Words breathed in love become instruments of healing. When we speak life, we echo the heart of Jesus, who constantly revealed the Father’s love through acts of compassion and affirmation.
Work together in humility.
Unity requires the posture of Christ in Philippians 2—the One who “made Himself nothing” so others might be lifted up. When we choose humility over pride, collaboration becomes an act of worship.
Give your time and money.
Unity is most visible when generosity flows freely. When believers sacrifice for one another, the world sees a community unlike anything it can produce on its own.
Exalt Christ.
Nothing unifies the church like a shared vision of Jesus. When Christ is first, personal preferences fade. The more we lift Him up, the more He draws us together.
Refuse argumentative distractions.
Not every hill is worth dying on. When we let secondary debates overshadow primary devotion, unity suffers. Jesus prayed that we would prioritize love over winning an argument.
Each of these practices becomes a way of saying “Amen” to Jesus’ prayer. They are how we align our lives with His intercession.
When Jesus Prays for You Today
John 17 is not merely historical; it is present. Jesus continues to pray for His people (Hebrews 7:25). He intercedes for you this very morning. If you feel distant, discouraged, or divided within, Jesus’ prayer brings comfort:
“Father, make them one… Fill them with Your love… Let My life be in them.”
I find myself wanting to slow down when I read these words. Unity isn’t simply the absence of conflict—it is the presence of Christ. His love becomes the glue, His Spirit the guide, His prayer the foundation. He prayed this before the cross because He knew unity would be both our greatest witness and our greatest challenge. And so He asks His Father to do what only divine love can accomplish.
As you walk through your day, carry this truth with you:
Jesus prayed for you, and the Father will accomplish His Son’s desire in you.
A Pastoral Blessing
May the love that flowed between the Father and the Son fill your heart in fresh ways today. May you know the unity Jesus prayed for—not as an idea but as a lived experience. May the Spirit guide your words, soften your heart, strengthen your relationships, and deepen your fellowship with believers around you. And may you walk with the quiet confidence that Jesus continues to reveal the Father to you moment by moment.
Blessed are you as you walk in His love.
Relevant Resource
For more on living out Christian unity, you may appreciate this article from The Gospel Coalition:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/
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