He Prays for You

We live increasingly alone.

We are more prone to eat alone than in previous generations.  And those under the age of 25 are seemingly most prone to eat alone — in the past 20 years, those eating alone in that age bracket has increased 80%.

We are less likely to attend public meetings or take leadership in clubs or civic organizations. 

We are less ready to make or pursue new friends.

We are less likely than our parents to vacation with others, watch TV with others, have intentional conversations with others, or invite others into our home.

We are less likely to attend worship services.  (Though we are more likely to watch worship services online — alone.)

All that solidarity and isolation makes us wonder things like, “Is anyone with me?”  “Does anyone care?”

Yes.  There is at least one who cares.  There is one who is present.  There is one who is always acting on your behalf.

It is Christ who is with us.  He will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5-6).  And to demonstrate that He is with us, He prayed for us.  

John 17 is the longest recorded prayer of Christ in Scripture (though He had other instances in which He prayed longer, e.g., Lk. 6:12, this is the longest prayer where we have His actual words).  Part of that prayer is His private communion with the Father (vv. 1-5).  Another part of that prayer is for the disciples and their protection as He prepares for the cross (vv. 6-19; the prayer was made on the night of His betrayal).  And a final part of the prayer is for us (vv. 20-26).  As Christ went to the cross, He had His faithful followers and believers on His mind and lips.  He prayed for you.

And He continues to pray for you, interceding for you (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25) and defending you (1 Jn. 2:1; Rev. 12:10-12).  

What benefit do we derive from His praying? 

We know His heart desires for us.  Of this passage, Luther’s friend, Philip Melanchthon wrote, “There is no voice which has ever been heard, either in heaven or in earth, more exalted, more holy, more fruitful, more sublime, than the prayer offered up by the Son of God himself.”  Here He reveals His protection of us (v. 15), His sanctification of us (vv. 17-19), His provision for our fellowship with each other (v. 22), and His provision for our fellowship with Him and the Father (vv. 23-26).  He has only the greatest desires (and provisions) for us who are His.  This prayer is no shallow sentiment.  It is Christ revealing His eternal desires for His eternal people.  

We know we are not alone.  Robert Murray M’Cheyne said of this chapter, “If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies.  Yet distance makes no difference.  He is praying for me.”  His prayer emboldens and strengthens us.  In no circumstance is the believer ever alone.

When we are alone, we are not alone.  He prays for us.

Albrecht Dürer, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.