Today is the 24th day of Lent, a 40 day season of spiritual reflection, repentance, and renewal. During these 40 days we’ll explore the prayer life of Jesus, walking chronologically through every mention of Jesus’ prayer life and prayers in the Gospels.
Here is today’s prayer event: 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. (John 17:17-19 ESV)
To be “sanctified” is to be set apart. Set apart for what? In this prayer–part 3 of a 3 part prayer for his disciples–Jesus links being “sanctified” with being “sent.” Just as Jesus was set apart for the purpose of being sent into the world, so now he prays for the disciples to be set apart for the purpose of being sent into the world. Jesus prays about their mission. He begs the Father to set these men apart for the holy task of continuing Jesus’ mission. He prays that they might fulfill their true purpose in life.
Consider the people in your life: friends, family members, fellow believers, church/organizational/governmental leaders, etc. Pray for each today, that God would set him/her apart for His mission to the world. Pray that each would fulfill his/her true purpose in life.
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Father God, bless those who will enter classrooms all over this city this morning. Thank you for those special people who love you and love children. Help them to see their special calling as teachers of your children. Guide their words, their responses, and their decisions, and help them, wherever they are, to honor and glorify you with their lives and their example. Remind them, dear Father, they they are the hands and feet of Jesus, and that you have called them to this special mission of being light and salt among these children of yours. Grant them patience, energy, passion, kindness, and perseverance in their ministry of teaching. Amen.
I am praying for my students today, much like Jesus prayed for his disciples. I pray for them often, actually.
Chris, this is one of those posts I really value. I am really benefitting from this walk through the prayer life of Jesus. It seems that as Jesus went thriugh his life he was “holding class” on prayer; he is teaching us how to pray. We often poo-poo formulaic prayer as cold and disingenuous but I am beginning to think there is more benefit to be found in using the topics of Jesus’ prayer (as you are highlighting for us) as rubrics for our prayers too. They give me topics when I am not being very creative. They direct me into the places that need prayer when I am too dense to think of it. Thanks.
Melanie, thank you for your prayer.
Jason, I, too, have enjoyed this journey. I have just been amazed at how many times Jesus is found praying in the Scriptures. I have simply overlooked them and not much about them with the exception of the passages that talk about Jesus spefically finding a quiet place to pray. I’m praying for the staff of the Med today – not just the nurses and doctors, but the floor moppers, the janitors, the cafeteria personel, the foodworkers and all the support staff. They are easily overlooked.
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