What Jesus wants
John 17:20-26
He wants you! – John 17:20
Jesus is completing a long intense prayer immediately prior to the arrest he was certain was coming. He initially prayed that the Father would be glorified through the granting of eternal life to his disciples through the completion of his death and resurrection. He prayed also that he would also be glorified by the Father and return to him on the completion of his work. vv 17:1-5 Jesus went on to pray for the disciples who had journeyed with him as they would be left behind to continue their gospel ministry after his ascension. He prayed for their protection from a world that will hate them and the evil one who would seek to sink their mission by leading them into sin. vv 17:6-19 But then Jesus gloriously prayed for you. Yes you. Not just you of course but definitely you if you have believed in him. How about that, just before Jesus was arrested he remembered you with his Father, because he desperately wants you and loves you. His death was intentionally for you as was his resurrection. In his prayer he lifted his eyes to the end of history and prayed for each one who would turn and believe in him. You and I really matter to Jesus. What he wanted and prayed for his immediate disciples, who walked the countryside and streets of Palestine with him, he wants for each one of us. He knew we were going to live lives that reject him and cause him pain but he still wanted us to believe and receive his mercy and eternal blessing. Paul in writing to Timothy urging that prayers be said for all people goes on to say God our Saviour, ‘desires all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.’ Have we taken time recently to enjoy his love for us and be thankful for it?