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A Prayer For Today

A prayer for today, asking for help in our daily activities, is an excellent way to start the day. It sets the tone for handling the challenges we will face. Prayer brings a sense of harmony with our heavenly Father.

An excellent example of what to pray for is found in the seventeenth chapter of John. John records Jesus' longest prayer in the Bible. In it, Jesus prays for Himself, the disciples, and all future believers.

When I think of a prayer for today, I think of the things Jesus prayed in chapter 17 of John. Jesus prayed: 1) that the Father would be glorified, 2) to do the will of the Father, 3) to be one with God, and 4) protection from the evil one.

Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane

Let your Prayer be "A Prayer for Today," Giving Glory to God

Jesus' life marked a profound dedication to glorifying God the Father. Throughout the Gospels, we observe Him praying and expressing His heartfelt desire to reflect and magnify the Father's glory through His words, actions, and ultimate sacrifice.

In John 17:1, Jesus explicitly articulates this desire. He begins His prayer by saying, "Father, the hour has come; Glorify your Son, that the Son may glorify you." This profound plea reveals Jesus' primary mission—glorifying God.

It is not just a request for the glorification of the Father but a submission to God's divine plan, where both God and Jesus are glorified through Jesus' obedience and suffering on the cross. 

Jesus Prayed to the Father
to Show Him His Will.

Jesus' prayers throughout the Gospels often reveal His deep reliance on the Father to direct His steps and reveal His will. This reliance underscores the humble and obedient nature of Jesus. Jesus sought guidance from the Father for every aspect of His life and ministry.

"Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). The ultimate goal of Jesus was to do the will of the Father. This petition emphasizes the importance of aligning His personal desire with God's divine plan. This petition is an excellent example of encouraging believers to seek God's will above their own.

Jesus taught His disciples using the words God had given to Him. Jesus did not speak on His own. John 12:49-50 says, "I don't speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me regarding what I should speak and say. I know his commandment is eternal life. Therefore, whatever I say is just as the Father has said to me."

One of the most touching examples of Jesus seeking the Father's will is found in the Garden of Gethsemane just hours before His arrest and crucifixion. Jesus prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42). This prayer shows the human side of Jesus but also shows His unwavering submission to the Father's will.

Jesus is our example of how to live our lives. He depended on guidance from the Father and so should we. Jesus spent hours each morning praying to the Father in preparation for His day. 

Jesus Prayed that He and His disciples might be One with the Father.

Jesus consistently sought unity with the Father in His prayers, which captures what we identify as our prayer for today. His desire for unity with God reflects His life of doing the Father's will and purpose.

Jesus' prayers show His deep desire for the disciples to know He was one with the Father. He wanted them to understand that God had sent Him. Jesus prayed, "I pray they will be one, Father, just as you are in me, and I am in you. I pray that they also will be in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me" (John 17:21).

To further emphasize this theme, Jesus declared in John 10:30, "I and the Father are one." This declaration asserts Jesus' divinity and confirms His alignment with God's will. The life of Jesus echoes God's purpose and character in all His words and deeds.

Not my will but Your Will Father

Jesus prayed for the protection of the disciples from the evil one

In the Gospel of John, we find Jesus deeply concerned about the spiritual welfare of His disciples, particularly as He approached the time of His crucifixion. It would be a time of vulnerability as the disciples faced the uncertainty of the future without Jesus.

Jesus specifically addresses the threat of evil influencing His followers. "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one" (John 17:15). Through these prayers, Jesus emphasizes the dangers in the world, particularly from the spiritual forces of darkness.

Just as evil forces tested Jesus in the desert, His followers would be tested in the days ahead. Jesus knew they needed protection and asked the Father to be with them and protect them.

Christ's prayer extended not only to His immediate disciples but to future generations of believers as He prayed, "I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message" (John 17:20). This extension of concern across time underscores the ongoing relevance and necessity of protective prayers. A prayer for today should include "those who will believe"—the future generations of believers. 

Summary of Jesus' Prayer

A prayer for today is a prayer that glorifies God. Jesus prayed that God would be glorified; it is good that we also pray for God's glory be shown in the world.

Jesus prayed for Himself, His disciples, and for future believers. Our prayer for today should include those who have not come to believe. Prayer allows God to do miracles in your life and the life of others.

Begin each day with a prayer that glorifies God by seeking His will and doing His will. Jesus desired us to be one with Him and the Father. By seeking His will, we can know what God's plan is for us—both daily and for life.