On your behalf
For a really long time John 17:6-26 has and still is one of the most beautiful passages in the bible to me. The way that you sit and read how Jesus is pleading with God for us. Its so crazy for me to wrap my head around the fact that Jesus sat and prayed so passionately for me! And for you! As I spent weeks resting in this verse I took some time to write my own version for the amazing women God has gifted to me in my small group. As I was writing it I knew without a doubt that it was God's message to them. A simple way of telling them how beautiful and loved they are.
When I was thinking about what to write this immediately came to my heart and I strongly feel that God wants me to gift this to you as well from Him. So here is John 17 first and then my version after. I hope it touches your heart as strongly as it did mine!
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| The Gifts of Life |
6 “I have revealed you[a] to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 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. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 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[b] your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by[c] that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.
13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by[d] the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you[e] known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
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| Tao Okamoto |
Father,
Glorify your daughter "your name", so she can give glory back to you. She knows who you’ve sent to give eternal life to each one you have given. And this is the way to eternal life- to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. She is bringing glory to you here on earth by completing the work you have given her to do. Now Father bring her into the glory you and Jesus have shared before the world began. She is revealing you to the ones you have given her in this world. Now they know that everything she has is a gift from you. Please help her to continue to pass on to them the message you gave her and continue to give her. May they accept it and know that she came from you. And may not only the world, but also "your name", know that you have sent her. My prayer is not for the world but for "your name" whom you have given me, because she belongs to you, and you have given her to me, so together we may bring you glory. Holy Father you have given us your name, now protect her by the power of your name. So that she will be united, just as you are with Jesus. I pray she will continue to be courageous in telling others many things so they may be filled with joy. Give her your word. Even if and when the world hates her because she does not belong to the world, may you not take her from the world, but keep her safe from the evil one. She does not belong to this world any more than you do. Make her holy by your truth, teach her your word, which is truth. Just as you sent your son into the world, and gave yourself as a holy sacrifice for her so she can be made holy by your truth, may my friendship be a sacrifice that strives to do the same. I am not only praying for "your name" but also for all who will ever believe in you through her message. I pray that we will all be one just as you and Jesus are one and as you are in the Father, and we are in you. And may you be in us so that the world will believe you sent her. Thank you for giving her the glory you gave Jesus so that she may be one as you are one. May she experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent Jesus and that you love her as much as you love Him. Father, I want "your name" to be with you where you are. Then she can see all the glory you gave Jesus, because you loved her even before the world began. Oh righteous Father the world does not know you, but "your name" does. May she continue to reveal you to the world. Then your love for her will also be in the them and you will be in them.
Amen
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