June 1, 2025

Today's Reading: John 17:20-26

Daily Lectionary: Numbers 14:1-25; Luke 18:18-34

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word.” (John 17:20)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

To me, these are some of the most amazing (and humbling!) words uttered by God in the entire Bible. In what we call the High Priestly Prayer, Jesus prays these words in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before He dies. And just look at what Jesus is praying for before He goes off to be tortured and die. He prays for “all who believe will believe in Me.” That means He was praying for you!

Jesus was about to be betrayed by one of His closest companions and abandoned by the rest. He would be arrested and beaten and face unimaginable physical pain. He was going to bear the weight of every sin from every sinner. He was going to face the terrors of Hell itself as His own Father would forsake Him on the cross. Jesus knew that He had to face all these terrible things in the next few hours, and still, He took the time to think about and pray for you! Wow!

And what did Jesus ask the Father on your behalf? He prayed that you would be one with Him along with all the other believers so that you would always be with Him. Jesus wants to be with you always, in this life and in eternity!

Have things at home or at school ever been so messed up that you’ve felt like God has forgotten about you? Have you ever felt so ashamed or guilty about a sin that you’ve doubted if God could really ever love you? Do you ever wonder how you’re going to make it through another day? When these doubts and fears come, just look at this Highly Priestly prayer again! Jesus didn’t forget about you, even in His own most desperate hour! And He never ever wants to be apart from you.

In fact, Jesus wants to be with you so much that He didn’t stop at simply praying for it. He did what was necessary to make it happen. He willingly and gladly suffered, died, and rose again to defeat sin, death, and the devil for you. Then He sent out His apostles and built His Church so that He might come to you today in His Word and with His very Body and Blood to forgive, strengthen, and preserve you in the faith so that you would remain in Him and with Him forever. All this means that you can live (and die) in the confidence that you will always be with Christ, our Lord.  

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

For us He prayed; for us He taught; For us His daily works He wrought, By words and signs and actions thus Still seeking not Himself but us. (LSB 544:4)

- Rev. Aric Fenske, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church and Trinity Lutheran Church in Bear Creek, WI.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

Andrew R. Jones identifies ten lies Satan uses in attempts to dismantle God’s people and His kingdom. Find encouragement in God's Word of Truth and remember the final victory we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ.