This post is part of a 40-day journey following Jesus in his prayer life. We’ll explore virtually every reference in the Gospels to Jesus and prayer. For a more in-depth treatment, see my book Prayers from the Pit.
“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth” (John 17:17-19 ESV).
Jesus prays for his followers: “Sanctify them in the truth.” To be “sanctified” is to be set apart. Set apart for what? In this prayer—part-three of a three-part prayer for his disciples—Jesus links being “sanctified” with being “sent.” After praying for his followers to be sanctified, he remembers how the Father sent him into the world and how he sent the disciples into the world. That is, just as Jesus was set apart for the purpose of being sent into the world, so he prays for the disciples to be set apart for the purpose of being sent into the world.
Jesus is praying about their mission. He begs the Father to set them apart for the task of continuing Jesus’ work. He prays that they might fulfill their true purpose in life.
What is your purpose in life? What has God set you apart to accomplish? What are you uniquely called to do? Pray for God to make this clear to you. Ask God to set you apart to accomplish this very thing.
And, consider others in your life: friends, family members, fellow believers, church ministers, executive directors, and governmental leaders. 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.
