By: The Rev. Russell E. J. Martin
No mature Christian would ever doubt the power and efficacy of prayer. Prayer is to the soul as food is to the body—something which nurtures and sustains us. In John 17, we have a beautiful portrait of our Lord in prayer. Lo and behold, we have an almost behind-the-scenes view of Jesus’ prayer life. What do we notice? What is he praying for? And what might we glean from a closer examination of Jesus’ words?
First, we observe the depth of intimacy with which Jesus approaches His Father. They are not strangers but loving participants whose mutual care is readily apparent. This is not their first conversation rather it is the latest installment of long ongoing rich dialogue. Closely aligned is the profound reverence and respect that Jesus shows the Father. Every word Jesus utters is undergirded with great respect and familiarity. Jesus knows His Father and He knows that His Father knows and hears Him.
Second, we realize that the Disciples (the Church), and by extension we ourselves, are the object of Christ’s intercession. He is praying for us! Jesus is praying for our specific needs. Jesus not only knows the Father, but He also knows His disciples and their needs. He intercedes for them because He knows that both the “world” and the “evil one” hate them. “Why?” you may ask; because authentic followers of Jesus, true disciples, reflect the light, love and character of Christ Jesus and the world and the enemy hated Him, so they are bound to hate those who reflect His values, priorities and character! St. Paul makes the same point to the Church in Rome, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (12:2 ESV
Third, it is also interesting to note what Jesus does not pray for even as we acknowledge what He does ask. Jesus asks the Father not to take us out of the world but rather to leave us in the world and protect us from “the evil one”. Again the question ‘why’ floats to the surface and the best answer I can think of is twofold. First, we belong in the world as it is our intended environment. Second, Christ needs us in the world to carry on His work to share the Good News of the Kingdom with others. In other words, he needs laborers for the harvest; for just as the Father sent Christ into the world so now Jesus is sending His disciples. However, it is also important to recognize that Jesus loves us enough that He asks the Father to constrain the hand and hold of the enemy, to limit his reach and power over us and instead that the Father sanctify or consecrate us in the truth for this work. Jesus is literally praying that the Father would make us holy, to make us truth-bearers, His ambassadors who witness to Jesus not only in word or deeds of power but also in holiness—a living and stark contrast to the darkness that pervades so much of the world.
So what lessons can we learn from this passage? First, we must adopt the same posture of prayer that Jesus did. That is why we need to be reverent and humble, and yet confident in seeking an intimate and abiding relationship with God in prayer. This of course means that we must take both the requisite time to be in prayer, and once in prayer to listen to the Father as Jesus listened. Second, we, like Jesus, need to intercede for others and ourselves. We pray for ourselves that the Lord’s will be done and that we live into the things He desires for us. We offer petitions for the needs of others especially for those who are vulnerable to the pressures of the world or the enemy: the young, the naïve, the vulnerable, those who have no voice of their own, the unborn, the infirm and so forth. Third, we must learn to be specific as Jesus was specific in what we bring before the Father. Jesus was confident in asking and knowing that His Father would not only hear Him but also respond! We should likewise be equally confident in approaching our Heavenly Father and basking in the light of His intense love, which is truly bread for the soul.