“JOHN 17:1-5”
These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

Jesus lifting His eyes to heaven and praying not just for glory, but for eternal connection. This echoes the heart of John 17. Jesus praying for Himself wasn’t an act of selfishness, but of surrender. He knew the cross was near, and in that moment of deep anguish, He turned to the Father God, not to escape, but to glorify. Why did Jesus pray for Himself? He longed to return to the glory He shared with the Father before the world began, a restoration of divine intimacy. He was preparing to fulfill His mission, and He asked the Father to glorify Him so that He could glorify the Father in return. His prayer acknowledged the authority He had been given and the eternal life He was about to offer through His sacrifice. Yes, we should pray for ourselves too. Jesus showed us that even in the shadow of suffering, it’s holy to lift our eyes and ask for strength, clarity, and connection. Praying for ourselves isn’t weakness, it’s trust. It’s saying, “I know where my help comes from.”