"I pray for them...which thou hast given me" (John 17:9 ASV)
A devotional about our Lord's intercession for us, by Dr. John A. Witmer.
Most of us have felt the special thrill of having someone ask about some decision or some trial or an opportunity for witness and ministry, and then say, "Well, I was praying for you." This explains the unusual strength God gave or the extra wisdom we received or the interest and response of those to whom we spoke. Such is the blessed privilege and the glorious effect of intercession for one another as believers in Christ.
But the truth which should stagger our imaginations and which should transform our attitudes and our actions is the fact of the intercessory ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ which He mentions in this verse. The exalted Lord Jesus Christ at the right hand of the Father prays for me. This fact should overwhelm us.
We call this chapter of John's gospel the high priestly prayer of Christ. What we mean by that is that it is a sample of His intercessory ministry. We can properly say that the subjects Christ prays about in this chapter are the things that weigh heaviest upon His heart and for which he prays again and again.
How much of our spiritual growth, our success in ministry, our freedom from injury and illness and troubles can be traced to the intercession of Christ? No one can say. It exceeds our ability to estimate. But the Word of God reveals that the intercession of Christ is continual (Heb. 7:25). It also states that our security in salvation is dependent, at least in some measure, upon this continual intercessory work of our great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ. Certainly as believers we have much to praise Him for and to respond with thanksgiving.
"Great Advocate, almighty Friend!
On Thee our humble hopes depend;
Our cause can never, never fail,
For Thou dost plead, and must prevail."