Pray Tell

John 17:1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

As Jesus entered the garden of Gethsemane, which appropriately means, “olive press,” He stopped to pray with and for His disciples, before going further.

This was a wonderful, audible gift rarely known of or received in the world before. God prays. God praying…

Just as the disciples not only heard but recorded this prayer for further study and recollection, we have the opportunity to do likewise. Some important questions are answered beyond doubt:

How does God pray? What does that look like? When does God pray? Why does God pray?

As confusing as it may seem to our tiny, finite brains, Jesus is in fact God in the flesh, and there are probably few more important lessons He can demonstrate for us than in telling us how to pray by watching and listening to Jesus - as He prays. Pray tell…

His posture? With open eyes He looks toward heaven. Silent or aloud? Jesus spoke these words so they may be heard and recorded. What did He pray for?

Here the answer is somewhat longer, but even more important because the heart of the Father is revealed in the words of the Son.

Praying is the most intimate form of communication known to man. In prayer, God is known to man, and through prayer, as God reveals the heart of man, man is known to himself. I have never known myself so well as I have when the Lord truly reveals what He sees in me. I have never known others so well as when God has revealed His heart for them to me.

In John 17, Jesus reveals the heart of God for His ministry on earth. Jesus reveals God’s desire through the spoken word of the Son – and this becomes primarily important to us, as we see the wondrous capability of God to speak through His people. Listen now to the voice of God speaking through you as you pray…

- Pastor Bill