“I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.” (John 17:11)

Jesus has said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6. There are many instances throughout the bible where Jesus confirms His identity to His followers. In Today’s verse Jesus goes even further by clearly stating that He will leave this world to actually be with the Father in Heaven. But here in John 17:11 Jesus also prays for those who remain in this world. Those who believe in Him, through faith, and those who are eagerly awaiting His return. Jesus prays, “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me.” I think at this point we should all take a step back and really consider what is happening in this verse. Jesus, who is God, is now praying to God the Father on our behalf. And why is the savior of all creation doing this – “so that [we] may be one as we (God the Father and Christ Jesus) are one.” Jesus has now confirmed, in His own words, that He is God and one with the Father. He has also said that His name “Jesus” is the name chosen by God for Him, and the very same name that Jesus Himself has petitioned to God to protect us with. For whenever we use the name of Christ Jesus in our prayers, those prayers will hold the power and weight that Jesus himself has asked God for us to have. Today know this, Jesus was and is God. For He said so Himself. And we are protected by the name of our savior, Jesus, because Jesus asked this protection to be granted to us.