Whenever I pray with someone and listen to their prayer about me, I am encouraged. There is truly something special about a friend or a loved one praying earnestly to the Lord about the needs that I have. My heart fills with warmth; as if someone’s taken it into their hands and enveloped it in a great big hug. And after that prayer, I truly want to become the person of faith that my friend prayed I’d become, and put to practice the things she prayed I would...  

As I read John 17, I have the same feelings, because thousands of years ago, when Jesus came down from heaven and walked the earth, He prayed about me. He prayed first for His disciples, and then He prayed about me: 

“My prayer is not for them [disciples] alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I  am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent  me...” John 17: 20-21 

Hours before being left on the cross for the world to see His death, Jesus prays about the things He thinks to be important. To think; that prayer includes me! His request before His death was that I would believe the message of the gospel with my whole heart and be One with the Father. He prayed that the Spirit would be in me and would love the Lord through me, and that other believers in the Church would be so united that the world would come to know the Father through them. Before being arrested and crucified, He also prayed for my unity with the Trinity and for our unity as His children with other believers. Two thousand years later, we see that Jesus’ prayer is continuing to be answered as the Good News of the gospel spreads throughout the entire world. And as more and more people join Christ’s family, Jesus’ prayer in John 17 continues to remind us of the importance of unity. 

So, Jesus’ last prayer request is our unity. Sounds like it’s important. Now to put to practice what Jesus prayed I’d be and do...