John 17:9-11 "I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. (10) And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. (11) And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are."
Prayer is such a marvelous gift from our Heavenly Father. On this night
when Jesus knew He would be betrayed into the hands of the Roman soldiers, He
took these last moments with His disciples to pray for them. We often ask
for prayer from our church family and friends when we feel ourselves to be in a
struggle that seems to be overcoming us. But in this time when Jesus would soon
sweat great drops of blood, He bent His knees and prayed for His
disciples. I'm made to think of the Old Testament saint, named Job. We
are told in Job 42:10, "And the LORD turned the captivity of Job,
when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had
before." Job was still in great pain when he took time to pray for
these friends who had spent so much time trying to find a fault in Job that had
been the cause of his pain. I also think about the Apostle Paul as he was
at Ephesus for the very last time. "And when he had thus spoken, he
kneeled down, and prayed with them all. (37) And they all wept
sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him, (38) Sorrowing most
of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And
they accompanied him unto the ship." (Acts 20:36-38) The Lord had
revealed to him what was ahead; yet, Paul took this moment to pray for those
who would remain in the battle.
In Jesus' last hours, he prayed for His disciples. He knew what He would be
facing in the next hours, but He also knew what His disciples would be facing
in the years to come. "I pray for them: I pray not for the
world." Jesus was not praying for those who would persecute His
disciples, but He was praying for these men, and those who would believe as a
result of their preaching. "Father, keep them through thine own name."
Keep them in your grace and love. Keep them in your strength and power.
Give them such grace as is necessary for them to keep the path that has been
established for them. As one dear friend of mine used to tell me at the
end of each Sunday morning service, "Stay the course, preacher. Stay the
course." Jesus was praying for these men to stand strong in the
power and might of the Lord God Almighty that they might stay the course. He
knew they could not do it on their own, but He was giving them into the hand of
the Father.
Today, you and I are faced with many struggles of life. Some are personal
struggles with addictions, with health problems, with emotional struggles, or
with the overwhelming pressure of everyday life. We all have to admit
that we have not been called to walk the easy path of life. There are forces in
the world, people in the world, who stand contrary to that which we have been
called. Jesus said, "I'm not praying to the Father for those contrary
forces. I'm praying for those you have given me." Remember His words
to Peter? "Simon, Simon, Satan has desired to have you that he may sift
you as wheat... BUT I HAVE PRAYED FOR YOU."
Today as you and I face our individual struggles, we can be assured we have an
Advocate Who sits at the right hand of the Father and He is making intercession
for us. Let us be calm in our souls and listen as the Advocate Who has made His
abode in our hearts relates that intercession to us. Jesus intercedes in
heaven and the Holy Spirit relates that intercession to our hearts.
"Be still and know" that our Heavenly Father is with us.