Jesus Prayed for You: What John 17 Reveals About His Love
- Morgan Benner
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
My small group has been studying the book of John this fall, and it has been full of encouragement, conviction, and growing in the knowledge of the Lord. We have followers of Jesus who have been walking with Him for less than a year, and others since grade school. My husband and I have loved hosting in our home and are so uplifted when we see Hebrews 10:24–25 lived out:
"And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, be encouraging one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
In a world and culture full of messages like “Let Them” and “Live Your Truth,” the body of Christ has such an opportunity to look different—by sacrificing our time to meet together, helping each other grow, and encouraging one another to be a light. It is a privilege to open the Bible together, to hear from God, and to grow in our understanding of how He designed us to live.
This past week, we discussed John 17, and I loved how impactful this chapter was for so many of us. The reminder I want to pass on to anyone reading this is simple yet astounding: Jesus prayed for you. Jesus prayed for you! It is mind-blowing to even consider.
When we find ourselves discouraged, feeling left out, or facing opposition, I want us to cling to the words in John 17. I want us to live by the words of Jesus—our Savior and our friend. I pray that from here on, our time would be completely focused on the Word that is life-giving, soul-changing, and spirit-filling. Whatever you are walking through today, know this: Jesus prayed for you, and He continues to intercede on your behalf before the Father.
Picture this moment: Jesus, on the eve of His crucifixion, praying not just for those beside Him—but for all who would ever believe. He prayed:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
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.
Jesus Prays for All Believers
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.”
After reading the entirety of John 17, I feel as though I’ve taken a deep breath—one that completely rejuvenates the soul. When I read verses 20–23, I can’t help but tear up every time, knowing that Jesus prayed for me. Before I was even born, before I heard Him call my name, before He went to the cross—Jesus prayed for me.
And no matter what you are facing today, rest in this truth: Jesus prayed for you too. What a beautiful gift.
FOR FURTHER THOUGHT
When was the last time you read through the book of John—or any book of the Bible—from start to finish? It has been so refreshing for me to learn about the life and finished work of Jesus while studying Scripture in community. The conversations it has sparked have truly catapulted people I know in their faith and trust in Him. Do you have a community like this? If not, would you consider gathering a few friends to read through the Bible together? Iron sharpens iron, and meditating on the Word of God helps you grow deeper in your faith like nothing else!
PRAYER
Father, thank You for Your Word and for the personal privilege of knowing that Jesus prayed for us. He prayed for those of us who didn’t walk with Him in person, but would come to believe through the message passed on by others. Thank You for Your love and care. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
ABOUT MORGAN BENNER
Morgan Benner is a woman transformed by faith, and if you had met her in the first 27 years of her life, you might not recognize her today. Jesus completely changed her, making her not just a different person but a new one. She now enjoys life with her best friend and husband, Derek, and their sweet three-year-old daughter, continually experiencing God’s love and growing in faith through her family. A creative at heart, Morgan uses her gifts to serve at her church—whether through video announcements, social media, small group leadership, or welcoming others into an encounter with Jesus. Professionally, she works as a Talent Acquisition Manager for a Fortune 500 company, a role that reflects her deep love for people. Known for meeting others right where they are, she is passionate about sharing the good news of the One who changed her life.
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