Before The World Existed (John 17:5)

 

Tuesday, June 3, 2025


Psalm 78

Deuteronomy 2:24-3:5

John 16:25-17:5


Observances: Martyrs of Uganda (d.1886);

Janani Luwum, archbishop of Uganda, martyr (d. 1977)

John XXIII, bishop of Rome, reformer (d. 1963)


Before The World Existed (John 17:5)


And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.


I’ve heard so many different phrases Christians use to ask other people if they are Christians as well. There is the classic “are you a Christian?” One that I particularly enjoy hearing is “do you also love Jesus?”


This is such a beautiful way of describing as well as identifying what it is like being a Christian. Yes, we believe; but we also love. And the love we have for Jesus bubbles up in us through a desire to see him glorified. We love him, and we want everyone else to enjoy that love, too.


Today we begin a passage in John that is described as Jesus’ “high priestly prayer”. Our Lord begins by glorifying God by naming the glory of the Father, and naming his own glory. We do the same when we pray: we praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. The Father of an infinite majesty; thine honourable, true and only Son.


When Jesus prays, he prays as the honourable, true and only Son, and so he prays about his own glory. And when he does, as he is this morning, he speaks of his Father glorifying him. That is, the Father is enjoying Jesus in perfect, infinite and divine love.


We love Jesus, and we love for others to see him as we do. The Father loves Jesus, and sees him perfectly as he truly is. We therefore behold God our Father loving God the Son even more than we do; and our hearts rejoice at the recognition of our Christ and the glory given to him, perfectly as it is by God our Father.


What do you love most about Jesus? How might you encourage others to see that about him, and therefore love him more?


Glorious God of perfect love, source of our love and worship: inspire in us a deeper affection for our Lord Jesus Christ, that his glory may show forth in our witness and worship.

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