John 17:6-12a (from the Amplified and NIV translations) (After Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, clearly indicating to those who had discernment that He was presenting Himself as the Messiah, and before He was arrested later by the religious rulers, knowing these hours were the last he would spend with his disciples, John records the continuation of Jesus' extensive, astounding prayer that Jesus Himself prayed, truly the Lord's prayer.) I have manifested Your Name—I have revealed Your very Self, Your real Self— to those whom You gave Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me and they have obeyed and kept Your Word. (Jesus' work was to reveal the Father to those He met. Our job is the same, to allow people to see Jesus in us through our words and actions and attitudes. The Lord has given us divine appointments to reach out to people He has put in our lives. The very ones with whom we rub shoulders today are the ones to whom the Lord asks us to reveal God's love today.) Now at last they know and understand that all You have given Me belongs to You—is really and truly Yours. For I gave them the Words You gave Me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from You, and they believed that You sent Me. (In the same way Jesus relied on God's strength and truth, we also stand on the truths of God's Word, believing Him, believing He is Who He says He is and making people know with certainty that we show forth Jesus.) I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those You have given me, for they are Yours. (What an awesome thought, that Christ Himself prays for us!) All I have is Yours, and all You have is Mine. (Who and what we are belongs to God our Father. All the blessings in our lives come directly from His Hand. Even the trials in our lives are allowed by our loving and tender Father as He grows and matures us.) And glory has come to Me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your Name, the Name You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that Name You gave Me. (Jesus knew He was about to die an excruciating death, but even in this time of preparation for that suffering, His thoughts were focused on His friends, His followers, on you and me. He still provides protection and provision for us and still focuses His thoughts on us today, and part of His desire for us is that we remain devoted to Him and that we love each other with the same kind of love that reflects the oneness of Jesus and His Father.)
