40 Days in the Book of JOHN

Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days in the Book of JOHN
Day 32 | THE REAL LORD’S PRAYER | John 17:1-5
THE REAL LORD’S PRAYER

John 17:1-5
“Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.’”
(NAS)

(Although we often think the “Our Father who art in heaven” is the “Lord’s Prayer,” THIS ONE really is what Jesus’ prayed to His Father… often called the “High Priestly Prayer.”)

As we “listen in” on Jesus’ talk with His Father, it’s clear that Jesus wants to glorify His Father, also that He has been given authority over all flesh, and has been given the right to give eternal life to His followers.  Jesus was on a mission from God the Father, and has now accomplished it.

In a way, it’s strange to hear Jesus talk to the Father, especially when we remember that God is ONE God but that also God is three persons: Father, Son, and Spirit.  But when we recall that Jesus set aside the privileges that were His in heaven when He came to earth, the conversation takes on a heavenly tone.

Notice also verse 5 – “Now Father glorify Me together with Yourself, WITH THE GLORY WHICH I HAD WITH YOU BEFORE THE WORLD WAS.”  

Remember,  Jesus is the Word in John 1:1–  “IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD.”

It is clear that Jesus is eternal and existed as God with the Father and the Spirit before Genesis 1:1.

Prayer: LORD, thank You for allowing this prayer to Your Father to be recorded for our benefit today – two thousand years after you spoke the words on earth.  And thank You for the eternal life you have given me.  Amen.