A devotional written by SEPE graduate, Fernando Melgar, reflecting on biblical principles to keep in mind when coming to the Lord in prayerful thanksgiving.
Jesus spoke these things; and raising His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, so that the Son may glorify You, just as You gave Him authority over all mankind, so that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I glorified You on the earth by accomplishing the work which You have given Me to do. And now You, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world existed.”
John 17:1-5
In this chapter—one of the most important in the entire Bible—we enter the Most Holy Place. I say this because the Lord allows us to witness that intimate moment of prayer between God the Son and God the Father.
This prayer displays a perfect fellowship, a unique, face-to-face fellowship that Jesus Christ has with God the Father. Keep in mind that Jesus prays this the night before His crucifixion. He is about to receive the full weight of God’s wrath as punishment for the sins of the elect. Imagine what the Savior of the world is facing at this moment.
There is much that could be said about these first verses—we could spend a lot of time on this passage—but I want to point out just a few principles we can learn about prayer by examining Jesus’ prayer.
1. Remember the Importance of Prayer
Even God Himself, while here on earth, acknowledged the importance of prayer in the life of the believer. Jesus left this example to His disciples to the point that they once asked Him to teach them how to pray (Luke 11:1–4).
Prayer is important because it shows our dependence on God by recognizing that we are not sufficient to handle all the situations of our lives, but God can. When we pray, we set aside our pride and humble ourselves before the Creator of the universe. This leads us to the next principle.
2. Come to Prayer in Complete Submission
When we come before the Lord, we must do so with humility. We must remember that we are speaking with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Sovereign over the entire universe. Yet at the same time, we must remember that He is our Father. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He began with these words: “Our Father who is in heaven.”
Here, He does the same—He addresses the first person of the Trinity as Father. This demonstrates their intimate fellowship. In the same way, every believer shares this fellowship with God the Father and God the Son. This fellowship is enjoyed most fully when we come before God in prayer.
3. Do Not Forget the Gospel in Your Prayers
Our various problems and needs may distract us from the essential things during prayer. One of those essential things is remembering what God has already done for us. He has granted us salvation through Christ. We now know Him—not merely intellectually, but experientially and relationally.
This is how Jesus defines eternal life in verse 3: “That they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.”
The knowledge mentioned here speaks of a personal and intimate relationship—a true fellowship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, thank God each day for the blessing and privilege you have of knowing Him in a way many do not.
4. Do Not Forget to Seek the Glory of God in Your Prayers
Our prayers usually revolve around ourselves, when they should truly begin with God Himself and His glory. If there is one constant in Jesus’ prayer, it is the glory of God. Notice it just in these first five verses.
Before facing the moment of greatest anguish, Christ is concerned that the name of God be glorified at all times in His life and through His death on the cross. Jesus paid no attention to the agony before Him; instead, He focused on the future glory He would receive when exalted by God the Father.
Likewise, when you pray, set your gaze not on the fleeting things of this world, but on the glory that awaits you when you stand in the presence of your Savior, Jesus Christ—for He has promised to prepare a place for you in glory. Just look at verse 24.
Thus, as we approach Thanksgiving Day, remember these principles each time you come before the Lord in prayer to show your gratitude: Recognizing the importance of prayer, coming in complete submission and humility, remembering the Gospel, and always seeking that His name be glorified above all else.
