Scripture Reading(s)
John 14:1-14
14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.
14:2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.
14:4 And you know the way to the place where I am going.”
14:5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
14:7 If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
14:8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”
14:9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
14:10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works.
14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves.
14:12 Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.
14:13 I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14:14 If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.
Reflections
Jesus’ disciples were not all that pleased about Jesus having to leave them. They still believed that somehow He was spoofing them and that He would setup a powerful kingdom that would dethrone Rome (the new Babylon). This talk of leaving just did not make sense to the disciples. However, Jesus assured them that His absence is necessary. He leaves them with an assurance that anything they ask in Jesus name will be done for them.
Many have wondered what it means to ask for something in Jesus’ name. Does it mean ANYTHING we ask for will be given to us? I think this is a silly notion. In the passage Jesus is preparing them to carry on His ministry on the earth. Jesus was no declaring that He was a vending machine. But I think we can learn something very important from this promise. If our wills are aligned with Jesus’ will then truly anything we ask for to accomplish that will (within reason) Jesus would be inclined to grant us. So, if you are praying for things and God is refusing, examine your own will and ask if it aligns with the Lord’s.
[Featured image from https://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/John%2014.16]