As Jesus faced the certainty of the cross, He prayed for us!
John 17:10-19 – a prayer of Jesus
Holy Father, all I have belongs to You,
and all You have is mine.
The people You gave Me
have given Me glory.
I won’t be in the world much longer,
but they will be in the world
as I come back to You.
Holy Father, keep them safe
by the power of Your Name –
the Name You gave to Me,
so their unity may be like Ours.
While I’ve been with them, I’ve kept them safe
by the power of Your Name – the Name You
gave to Me. I watched over them, and none,
but one, became lost, showing scripture true.
But now, Father, I’m returning to You, and I
say these things while I’m still in the world,
so they will have the same joy We have.
I have given them Your message, but the world
now hates them because, like Me, they don’t fit
into the ways of the world.
I’m not asking You to take them out of the world
but to protect them from the evil one, for they
do not belong to the world any more than I do.
Let Your truth make them holy,
for Your words are truth.
I’ve sent them into the world as You sent me.
And so, for their sake, I dedicate Myself – I
consecrate and sanctify Myself – so they, too,
will be sanctified, consecrated, and dedicated
to the truth in You.
from The Book of Bible Prayers