Living on God's Agenda - Jesus’ Prayer List – August 25 Readings: John 17:4 – Glory

John 17: The Heart of Jesus 

The prayer Jesus taught his disciples to pray, in Matthew 6, is often called "The Lord's Prayer." That is our prayer, a model prayer for us to pattern our prayer lives after. It is John 17 that is truly the Lord's Prayer, the one that shows the heart of our Savior. In it, he pours out his soul to the Father the night before his death and shows us that which he cares most about. 

Do you have a prayer list, a guide to those requests you make regularly to God? In this chapter, we see Jesus' prayer list, what was on his heart, what he prayed for regularly. 

It is recommended that you read the entire prayer each day this week. We will examine a highlight each day. 

Today's Reading:  John 17      (Focus - John 17:4)

John 17:4  I have glorified you on the earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 

Through the Bible Readings: Song of Songs 7-8, Romans 14, Psalm 101:5–8, Proverbs21:9–10 

If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings. 

Devotional:  Living on God's Agenda

What drives you in your life? When you get up in the morning, what is your goal? As you go through your day, what is it you are hoping to accomplish? As you lay your head on your pillow, what is it you are thinking about and hoping for?  Many people seek power and control over others, personal glory, or to receive praise from people. Others live for pleasure or money. 

Jesus was driven by one thing and one thing only. From his Nativity until the time of his death and resurrection, he was motivated by the desire to glorify his Father in Heaven by doing the work that God had set for him. How often did Jesus say something like "my time is not yet come." He was operating on an agenda set by the Father and his sole motivation was glorifying the Father by accomplishing that agenda. 

Now, as Jesus was coming to the end of his life and praying for his disciples, he emphasized his relationship to the Father and would go on to pray that our relationship to him would be patterned after his to the Father. In other words, it is our Savior's desire that our lives be lived for the glory of God in all things and that we seek to carry out his will and accomplish his work. 

Jesus spent his life carrying out the agenda that the Father set for him. We must seek the Father's agenda for our lives, then devote ourselves to that agenda with passion, giving glory to God at every step along the way. 

Father, show me your way. that I may live for your glory and accomplish your work. 

Think and Pray:

Whose agenda are you serving? Are you living for the glory of God and accomplishing his work?