John

Check out all the previous John readings here.

John Reading Plan | Week 12, Day 3

Prayer

Pause for a moment of quiet and stillness. To center yourself fully, take a deep breath in and exhale slowly. Repeat this process three times. Ask God to open your eyes to the amazing truths in His word today.

Bible Reading: John 17:13-19

Read these verses three times slowly.

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

Reflection & Questions

We are continuing to look at Jesus’ prayer in John 17, the night before He is crucified. In today’s verses, He is still praying for His disciples. His goal in His prayer for them is “they may have the full measure of my joy within them.”

It is amazing that the night before His death, Jesus is talking of His joy. But that is the nature of true joy. Biblical joy is a deep, abiding sense of happiness and contentment that comes from knowing, loving, and trusting God, rather than from external circumstances. It is possible to have joy even in the midst of the harshest of times. Perhaps almost paradoxically, Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 6:10, that he was “sorrowful but always rejoicing.”

Jesus wants His disciples, and us, to have His joy in us. That joy will become greater as we are sanctified (as Jesus prays in these verses). As we are purified, the beauty and wonder of God alights our hearts and the joy grows to full measure. Our joy is full in the awe and delight of who God is and what He does. That is Jesus’ delight and prayer. That we would treasure God, for our joy will then be full.

1. Dwell on the fact that Jesus is full of joy. What picture or image comes to mind as you think about Jesus’ joy? What difference does it make that Jesus has joy?
2. What do you think it mean to have His joy in us?

Prayer

Talk to God in response to today’s reading.

Worship Song

You might use this song today to worship Jesus today:

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Questions?