It Is Time

Prayer is where Heaven and Earth intersect.

We have song that reminds us of this as well as the Lord’s Prayer itself. As one of my mentors in ministry, Dr. Dennis Metzger, as said; “God has hardwired this world to run on prayer.”

Prayer is essential to the life of a disciple of Jesus.

We cannot obey Jesus on our own power. We cannot do it alone!

Jesus prayed, often.

As we open up John 17 we find Jesus doing what was typical, common, ritual, routine for him (pick the word).

Application point: make spirituality known.

I do not mean flaunt it from the rooftops or show it on live videos necessarily but do those around you know you have a spiritual life. Parents, myself included, do our kids know we pray. Not just in an intellectual manner but in reality.

Eternal life is a full body/life “experience”.

John 17.3 gives us the definition of eternal life from Jesus but let me make this clear. He was not talking about just an intellectual exercise or a passive believe. For the Jew, especially Jesus, “knowing” meant all of life was changed by this truth. This is why Paul would say, walk worthy of the Gospel.

Jesus prays for unity.

In the band of 11, Judas has gone, Jesus was praying for the early disciples to be united together as much as He and the Father were. This will be prayed again in verse 23.

To be unified we must have someone/thing greater than any one of us!

For me, this is where the prayer for God’s glory must become active in my life. When I focus on myself, my needs, me way, my journey, my desire I want the glory. Jesus prays that He may be glorified not the disciples.

In the world but do not belong to the world.

Our ownership has changed! We no longer fit into the pattern of this world because we belong to the King who sits enthroned in Heaven. Do not miss this truth—Jesus prayed for protection not segregation.

We are sent out into the world.

Notice verse 18. We are not saved to sit in a holy huddle and say how good Jesus is for saving us. We are saved, ownership transferred so we may fulfill His purpose to share the Gospel to the world.

We must grow in holiness.

Verse 17 becomes key. We are set apart by the Word of God and therefore must live out this set apartness. If Jesus only saves and then does not change how you live, speak, think I would wonder if I was saved.

Result: God’s glory and our joy.

You cannot read, listen or interact with this prayer and not have a sense of out great our God is and teh glory He alone deserves. At the same time if we interacted with this prayer more often we may gain joy knowing our Lord is at work.