As Jesus prays the words recorded in the header scripture, we are given a rare and intimate glimpse into the eternal relationship between the Son and the Father. This is not merely a request for restoration – it is a declaration of identity. Jesus speaks of a glory that predates creation itself, a shared divine life of love, unity, and joy, and in this moment, immediately before the cross, he is looking beyond his death to his resurrection, and ultimately, his ascension. 

This verse is not just about Jesus returning to heaven, it is also about humanity being lifted up into the life of God. Jesus is not separated from humanity, so when he prays for the restoration of glory, he does so as the incarnate Son who has taken our humanity into himself. His ascension, then, is not an escape from the world, but the exaltation of humanity into the very presence of the Father. 

This has profound significance: the glory Jesus speaks of is not something simply from the distant past or reserved for him alone. Through his life, death, resurrection, and ascension, he has brought humanity into that shared communion. We are included in his relationship with the Father. Jesus’s ascension assures us that our humanity now has a place in heaven, not symbolically, but as a reality in Christ. He has carried our brokenness through death and raised it into glory. When he asks to be glorified in the Father’s presence, he is also securing our place there with him.

This means we don’t live as people striving to reach God, but as people already embraced in the life of the Triune God through Jesus. The ascended Jesus is not far away; he is actively present, sharing his relationship with the Father, and drawing us into that same fellowship by the Spirit. This is a truth we can rest in with confidence and assurance. Our life is ‘hidden with Christ in God’ (Colossians 3:3), and so by grace we are included in the glory Jesus prayed for, because of our union with Christ.

As we go forward today, let’s remember that Jesus’s prayer has already been answered. He has been glorified, he has ascended, and he has taken our humanity with him into the very heart of the Father’s presence. We are not on the outside looking in: we are enveloped in the love that has always existed between the Father, Son, and Spirit. We can now lift our perspective beyond our present struggles or limitations. Our life is anchored in a greater reality: a reality where Christ reigns, and where we share in his standing before the Father. Let this truth strengthen our hearts, renew our hope, and shape how we see ourselves and how we see everyone.

Local congregation:
Grace Communion West Hampstead 
Sidings Community Centre
150 Brassey Road
West Hampstead
London
NW6 2BA

Meeting time:
Sunday 12.30 pm

Local congregational contact:
Gordon Brown
gordon.brown@gracecom.church

Word of Life contact:  
wordoflife@gracecom.church