This week’s devotions are based on Week 7 of “How Would You Answer? Does Jesus care? (WATCH HERE)
John 17:9–11 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 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.
Everyone wants security somewhere.
People look for safety in success, relationships, money, reputation, health, or control. Yet all of those things can change quickly. Circumstances shift. People disappoint us. Strength fades. Life becomes uncertain.
In John 17:11, Jesus prays, “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name.”
This prayer reveals something beautiful about God’s care. Jesus does not simply save His people and leave them on their own. He puts the protection of the Father’s name over them.
The disciples were about to face fear, confusion, persecution, and failure. Jesus knew Peter would deny Him. He knew the disciples would scatter. Yet He still prayed for them. He still claimed them as His own.
That is grace.
The phrase “protect them by the power of your name” carries deep meaning. In Scripture, God’s name represents His character, authority, faithfulness, and covenant love. To be kept in God’s name means we are held by all that God is.
Think about the comfort of belonging. A child feels secure when they know they belong to a loving family. In the gospel, God places His name on His people. Isaiah 43:1 says, “I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”
That means you are not spiritually forgotten or abandoned. You belong to the Father.
This does not mean life becomes easy. Jesus does not pray for His disciples to be removed from the world. He prays for them to be protected within it. God’s care is often shown not by removing hardship, but by sustaining us through it.
Psalm 121 says, “The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” Romans 8 reminds us that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
Sometimes believers feel weak and wonder whether they can hold onto God. The good news of John 17 is that our ultimate security does not depend on our grip on God, but His grip on us.
Jesus keeps His people.
This truth gives peace in anxious moments. When fear rises, when failure weighs heavily, when life feels unstable, remember whose name is over you. You are held by the faithful love of God.
And because we belong to Him, we can live courageously. We do not have to live controlled by fear or driven by the need to protect our own image. We are already secure in Christ.
Today, rest in this promise: God does not just know your name. He gives you His.
Reflect: Where are you most tempted to look for security apart from God? How does knowing you belong to the Father change the way you face fear and uncertainty?
Prayer: Holy Father, thank You for keeping us in Your name. Thank You that our security rests not in our strength, but in Your faithfulness. Help us trust Your care when life feels uncertain. Remind us that we belong to You and that nothing can separate us from Your love in Christ. Give us peace, courage, and confidence as we walk with You today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.