Our troubles can fill our prayers with love and empathy for others.

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. John 17:11

The obituary for Alan Nanninga, a man in my city, identified him as “foremost, a dedicated witness for Christ.” After a description of his family life and career, the article mentioned nearly a decade of declining health. It concluded by saying, “His hospital stays . . . earned him the honorary title of ‘The Praying Patient’” because of his ministry to other patients. Here was a man who, in his times of distress, reached out to pray for and with the people in need around him.

Hours before Judas betrayed Him, Jesus prayed for His disciples. “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” (John 17:11). Knowing what was about to happen, Jesus looked beyond Himself to focus on His followers and friends.

During our times of illness and distress, we long for and need the prayers of others. How those prayers help and encourage us! But may we also, like our Lord, lift our eyes to pray for those around us who are in great need.

Lord, even in our difficult times, may we honor You and encourage others by praying for those who are suffering today.

我们经历了苦难，便能以爱和恩慈为人代祷。

圣父啊，求祢因祢所赐给我的名保守他们，叫他们合而为一，像我们一样。-约翰福音17章11节

我在报上看到一篇记念艾伦·南宁加的悼文。在悼文中，有一段关于艾伦的描述：“最值得一提的是，他一直热心地为基督作见证。”在讲述艾伦的家庭生活以及职业生涯之后，文中还提到近十年来，他的健康状况不断地衰退。文末的结语是：“艾伦在住院期间，关心其他的病人，被其他人誉为‘祷告的病人’。”在艾伦饱受病痛磨难的日子里，他仍为周遭那些有需要的人祷告，并且也带领他们一同祷告。

耶稣在犹大背叛祂的几个小时之前，为祂的门徒祷告说：“从今以后，我不在世上，他们却在世上；我往祢那里去。圣父啊，求祢因祢所赐给我的名保守他们，叫他们合而为一，像我们一样”（约翰福音17章11节）。耶稣知道接下来会发生什么事，但祂却不顾惜自己，反倒挂念那些跟随祂的人，以及祂的朋友。

当我们饱受病痛煎熬的时候，我们渴望并需要别人的代祷。他人的代祷使我们得着何等的帮助和激励啊！但愿我们也能效法主，顾念他人，为我们身旁那些有迫切需要的人祷告。

上帝啊，即便我们在困境时，
愿我们仍能尊荣祢的名，
并以祷告激励那些正在受苦的人。

John 17:6-19New International Version (NIV)

6 “I have revealed you[a] to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 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[b] your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by[c] that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them,for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by[d] the truth; your word is truth.18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

整理：于姊妹