Prayer is something that I’ve never been completely comfortable with. On the one hand, I firmly believe that God answers the prayers of His people; that prayer is like children talking to our Father who loves us. On the other hand, this is God we’re talking to. Shouldn’t praying to Him require a different level of formality than normal conversation?
When we feel that need for formality, we are feeling the separation that sin brings into our relationship with God. We are living in our unworthiness. There is discomfort coming into God’s presence because in the back of our heads there’s this little spark of doubt that says, “Why should God answer my prayer?” The Psalmist reflects the same feeling, “What is man that you are mindful of him?”
However, we have been sanctified – that is, made holy – in the truth. Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life has cleansed us of our sins by His loving sacrifice on the cross. So to pray to our Father is as natural as breathing. So look at how Jesus prays.
First, notice there is not a lot of formality here. I often think of Monty Python’s prayer that went something like, “O Lord, thou art so big, we prayest that thou shalt not smite us.” Sounds impressive! Prayers don’t need to sound impressive. We can just talk. The formality of the prayers we have used in church over the centuries is good in that context. In our daily lives it is not necessary. Jesus just talks to the Father.
Second, he asks for what is necessary to give God glory. In Jesus’ case, he asks to be glorified so that the Father will be glorified. There is nothing wrong with asking for what you need so that you might serve our Father.
Third, he prayed for his disciples. What I grab here is that we pray for one another – our brothers and sisters in Christ. Particularly he prayed about the mission of his brothers as they would carry on the mission of helping people to know God and His love in their lives. To this end He prays for their safety, unity and for their salvation as he sends them into the world.
Fourth, he prayed for you and me. He knew that someday we would hear about his love and sacrifice and that we would believe in him. We can pray for the future generations of the church. I think this is very important because the church in America, and therefore our children, will face struggles we have not. Persecution, ridicule, and perhaps even danger.
Verse 15 sticks in my head, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the one.” For us to be effective to carry on Jesus’ mission to help people know God, we need to be in the world. We need to see that when we are in the world – at school, work, or in the public square – that we are where we belong as Christians so that we show people who don’t know Jesus how much he loves them. Jesus has prayed for us to be empowered to do that work. I find that breathtaking and, perhaps, and little overwhelming. It’s probably enough to drive us to prayer!
Father, thank you for hearing Jesus’ prayer for us; and for hearing our prayers, too. Give us the things we need to glorify you: faith, courage, wisdom, love, hope, and whatever else we need. Be with all your children today help us to love one another. Unite us in Jesus’ salvation. Keep us all safe from temptation and danger so that our lives would help others to know You and Your love. And, Father, be with our children and all those who will come to believe in Jesus, too. Equip them to carry on the mission, and may Jesus’ love be in us all. Amen.
When we feel that need for formality, we are feeling the separation that sin brings into our relationship with God. We are living in our unworthiness. There is discomfort coming into God’s presence because in the back of our heads there’s this little spark of doubt that says, “Why should God answer my prayer?” The Psalmist reflects the same feeling, “What is man that you are mindful of him?”
However, we have been sanctified – that is, made holy – in the truth. Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life has cleansed us of our sins by His loving sacrifice on the cross. So to pray to our Father is as natural as breathing. So look at how Jesus prays.
First, notice there is not a lot of formality here. I often think of Monty Python’s prayer that went something like, “O Lord, thou art so big, we prayest that thou shalt not smite us.” Sounds impressive! Prayers don’t need to sound impressive. We can just talk. The formality of the prayers we have used in church over the centuries is good in that context. In our daily lives it is not necessary. Jesus just talks to the Father.
Second, he asks for what is necessary to give God glory. In Jesus’ case, he asks to be glorified so that the Father will be glorified. There is nothing wrong with asking for what you need so that you might serve our Father.
Third, he prayed for his disciples. What I grab here is that we pray for one another – our brothers and sisters in Christ. Particularly he prayed about the mission of his brothers as they would carry on the mission of helping people to know God and His love in their lives. To this end He prays for their safety, unity and for their salvation as he sends them into the world.
Fourth, he prayed for you and me. He knew that someday we would hear about his love and sacrifice and that we would believe in him. We can pray for the future generations of the church. I think this is very important because the church in America, and therefore our children, will face struggles we have not. Persecution, ridicule, and perhaps even danger.
Verse 15 sticks in my head, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the one.” For us to be effective to carry on Jesus’ mission to help people know God, we need to be in the world. We need to see that when we are in the world – at school, work, or in the public square – that we are where we belong as Christians so that we show people who don’t know Jesus how much he loves them. Jesus has prayed for us to be empowered to do that work. I find that breathtaking and, perhaps, and little overwhelming. It’s probably enough to drive us to prayer!
Father, thank you for hearing Jesus’ prayer for us; and for hearing our prayers, too. Give us the things we need to glorify you: faith, courage, wisdom, love, hope, and whatever else we need. Be with all your children today help us to love one another. Unite us in Jesus’ salvation. Keep us all safe from temptation and danger so that our lives would help others to know You and Your love. And, Father, be with our children and all those who will come to believe in Jesus, too. Equip them to carry on the mission, and may Jesus’ love be in us all. Amen.
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