John 17
Eternal life isn’t a destination—it’s a relationship already opened to you, secured in Christ.
Devotional Credit: Grace and Truth Study Bible, Zondervan Reflective
Photo Credit: Unsplash
John 17 draws back the curtain on a sacred moment. Jesus, having just told the disciples they would have trouble in this world, now lifts His eyes to heaven and begins praying—not as a desperate man, but as One fully confident in the Father’s plan, glory, and love. This is the longest recorded prayer of Jesus in Scripture. It’s rich with intimacy and unity, flowing through three distinct petitions: one for Himself, one for His disciples, and one for all who would later believe through their witness.
In the first five verses, Jesus doesn't ask to escape the cross, but rather that His glorification through it would also glorify the Father. He speaks of eternal life—not as a reward, but as a relationship. Eternal life is to know God and Jesus Christ personally. This is not mere data about God; it’s a shared life with Him.
Next, Jesus prays for His disciples, affirming that they have received the truth and now belong to the Father. He doesn't ask for their removal from the world but for their spiritual protection within it. He emphasizes their mission—to be sanctified in truth and sent just as He was sent. Their unity, joy, and security are uppermost in His heart.
Finally, Jesus prays for us—for all who would come to believe. He longs for our oneness with one another to mirror the unity of the Godhead itself. He desires that we would be with Him, see His glory, and experience the same love the Father has for the Son. This prayer ends not with a request for changed circumstances, but with a vision of changed hearts—hearts anchored in divine love, unified, and radiant with eternal purpose.
Journal Entry | In the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I have given you eternal life, not as a distant promise but as a present reality. Eternal life is the deep, living knowledge of Me and of Jesus Christ whom I sent. This is the life you now possess—not earned but received, not maintained by striving but sustained by My presence. I have called you out of the world, not to escape it, but to be set apart in it. You are Mine. You are not of this world, even as He is not of this world.
You are kept. Guarded. I sanctify you in truth—My Word is truth. Though the evil one prowls, he cannot touch what I have secured in Christ. As Jesus was sent, so now you are sent—not alone, but with My joy filling you and My truth anchoring you. The world may resist Me, but you will endure, for you are not under its dominion. You walk in the freedom of My Spirit.
You are not left to wonder whether you are loved. The love the Father has for the Son now rests on you. The Son’s glory is your destiny, not because of what you’ve done, but because of where you now abide—in Him. You are one with Me. The unity you live out with others is not manufactured—it is born of My indwelling presence. As you dwell in this love, the world will see. They will know that Christ was sent. They will see Me in you.
You are already seated with Christ in heavenly places. You are hidden with Christ in Me. You are loved with the same love that has existed from eternity past. Walk, then, in this reality—not to gain My favor, but because you have it. You are Mine.
John 17:1–26; Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 3:3; 1 John 5:18; Romans 8:16–17
Everyday Analogy
Have you ever been handed a hotel room keycard before you even made it to your room? You didn’t earn it by proving your worth—you simply checked in, and the key was placed in your hand. Even before entering the room, that key was a sign: the place was already prepared, your name already on the reservation. That’s what Jesus prayed into being for you. You’ve been given full access to a life already secured by Him. You don’t need to search for belonging or strive to be accepted. The room is ready. You are home in Him.
Prayer
Father, I’m no longer trying to achieve what You’ve already secured. I rest tonight in the truth that eternal life is not a destination—it’s a relationship, and I’m already living it now. I believe what Jesus prayed is true for me: that I am kept, sanctified, unified, and loved with the same love You have for Him. That’s overwhelming. Not incomprehensible because I cannot grasp it, but because it’s larger than any love I’ve ever known.
Thank You that I’m not of the world, even though I walk through it. Thank You that my joy is found in You, that my unity with other believers is not something I manufacture but something I receive. I don’t ask You for protection—I trust in it. I don’t ask You for unity—I walk in it. I don’t ask You to love me more—I revel in the love You’ve already poured into me.
I belong to You. I carry Your name. I go where You send, knowing that wherever I go, I go with Christ in me and Your glory as my aim. What a peace that brings tonight. Amen.