I am away and pre-writing…

“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.”

Jesus was praying for disciples, in our part 2 of John 17, Jesus knew they needed God’s help in all things – especially to be away from evil…

And we can pray too – for people and pets and plans… I pray for my kids, naturally, my mom, family, for kids, friends, and people I know and don’t… As I pray for traveling mercies, I could/should pray for others, including people on the side of the road as we drive by. Keep them well Lord in spirit if not in body. We could and should pray for people’s provisions of things that sustain them and ESPECIALLY for the ability for people to know God, know Jesus and the Spirit, know hope, saving grace, mercy, love…

There are many people to pray for – people I just heard of who lost a loved one, or broke their back or need medical intervention, or lost their house, or wow…  so much… And oh we need to pray for logistics and love – especially in love for love sake.

I’m praying specifically today for a little black cat, yes the one I caught, as it acclimates to farm life, and praying for all the people whose lives it touches – we are worrying about it – but oh now to pray… I realized that I prayed A LOT for myself for catching it, praying logistics… but did I pray for the cat? Now I am praying for the cat, I appreciate your prayers. I was reminded recently of the cat by the birthday card my friend sent and by another friend’s magnet I saw… such classic black cat looks…

Oh to pray for people and pets that we don’t know… oh to pray for their safety and sanity in this broken harsh world. Jesus prayed: “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.” Jesus prayed so much for the safety but sanity of his folks – He knew the death each one of them would have to endure – and He knew the life they would lead and how crucial it was to spreading the message of the gospels – the message of hope – of life and love – of truth and in truth – the world needs to know Jesus.

Let that be our prayer: keep our closest friends and family, and everyone else too, away from the evil one, evil doings, comings and goings…

And cats too… 

Lord, hear our prayers! Keep Your children coming to You for help.

Amen 

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In this passage below, Jesus first prays for Himself, praising God the Father, and for what was accomplished by presence. Now Jesus prays for the disciples in their next steps with Him gone – He had just finished the passover dinner and knowing all that had happened stepping into the last days before crucifixion, Jesus was praying special for these close companions, this was just before the Garden of Gethsemane. 

John 17:6-19

New King James Version

Jesus Prays for His Disciples

“I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.

“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.