18.w. “Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”

John 17:1  When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

 John 1:1-3    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

 1 Peter 1:20   He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you

The life of Jesus was a manifestation of God’s glory, and the disciples beheld this glory (John 1:14).

The life of Jesus was a manifestation of God’s glory, and the disciples beheld this glory (John 1:14).

Jesus only ever sought the glory of His Father (John 7:188:50).

God the Son seeks to glorify God the Father (John 12:28).

God the Father glorifies God the Son (John 13:31-32).

Jesus could not truthfully or sanely pray this if He were not Yahweh Himself, equal with God the Father. In Isaiah 42:8 and 48:11, Yahweh proclaimed that He shares His glory with no one. If God the Father and God the Son share their glory, they must both be Yahweh.

“He had one main petition: that the Father would receive him back to the glory he had relinquished to accomplish his task. This petition for a return to his pristine glory implies unmistakably his preexistence and equality with the Father. It confirms his claim that he and the Father are one (John 10:30).” (Tenney)

Reviving the soul

“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;”

“He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,”

Psalms 111:7  The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy;

 Psalms 85:10    Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.

 Psalms 89:14   Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.

 Psalms 98:3    He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

 Deuteronomy 32:4    “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.

 Revelation 15:3-4     And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!  Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

 Psalms 119:160    The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.

When you think about the attributes of God expressed in these verses, isn’t your heart, mind, and soul lifted up?  This is the God who reach out to you, revealed Himself to you, loved you so much that He sent Jesus to redeem you, and opened your heart and mind to His love, power, might, strength, joy, peace, grace, mercy, hope, and eternal life.  Trust in Him is never a waste, hope in Him is never meaningless, faith in Him is never pointless, waiting for Him is never a sign of weakness, humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying is never in vain.