06/07/2023
Jesus said that He would do anything we ask in His name. What do you think that means? Are we the type people who gets an offer of a free dinner and orders the most expensive thing on the menu? Is it an open invitation to ask for the moon, or something quite different? Why is Jesus making us this offer?
“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”
John 14:13-14 ESV
Jesus is telling us why He will do this for us... it is for the glory of the Father. But, are we viewing it as an invitation to order anything on the menu? Is that the offer here, or is He saying that He will do anything the Father desires... not for us per se... Is He obeying God's will in this promise towards us?
In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus asked the Father to "remove this cup from me". He was on the verge of immense suffering, the shouldering of all man's sin, and death. He didn't want to suffer any more than you or I would have, and yet He refused God nothing. Let's explore this more.
“And he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?”
Mark 14:36-37 ESV
Now let me put this in a way that will make you think twice... if Jesus is willing to do whatever the Father asks (including doing anything for us that we might ask) then shouldn't we be behaving similarly; doing those things He asks of us? This reciprocal template has been presented to us repeatedly throughout scripture....
“And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22:39 ESV
And also...
“and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
Matthew 6:12 ESV
So, love others as you are loved, forgive as you are forgiven, feed the hungry as God feeds us... the list goes on and on. Now Jesus will do for the Father, and He will receive the power to do for us... and we are asked to believe in Him as our part of that template.
“"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
John 14:12-13 ESV
If we want to do the works of Jesus, we must believe in Him. I have come to understand that dealing with God is much like Valentine's Day. On that day I give my wife a gift of love; flowers, candy, dinner, jewelry, a sweet card, and on that day she gives me gifts of love in return. I receive gifts, but my sole focus on that day is not on what I get, but on showing and telling her that I love her. When I enter into one of the reciprocal promises of God it is much like that... He is giving me a gift, but my focus is on loving and doing for Him. He is the focus of my efforts, and life.
When young, my children would receive a Valentine's card and candy from me too, but my focus was always on Ann, and I gave those other gifts to please her (and of course because I loved my children). Was this what was happening when Jesus promised to do whatever we asked in His name? Was He focusing on the Father as He made that promise to us? Did Jesus drink from the cup first and foremost for God and then secondarily would His motivation be "(and of course because I loved my children)"?
Think on these things today. Who is the focus of your life... who do you love above all else? Do we love our wife, or do we love our wife like Jesus loves the church? Do we love one another, or do we love one another as the Father has loved Jesus? In whom do we chose to focus and abide?
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.”
John 15:9 ESV
So when Jesus tells us to ask in His name are we tempted to ask outside the will of God, or is our request couched with the overriding will of God? When we give to the poor is that gift simply meant to satisfy the poor? Do we give to make ourselves feel good? Do we give because we have been commanded to? Or, do we give out of our love for God who has given first to us? Let’s think on this today and then ask ourselves what it is that we ask Jesus for… and why.
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for your many blessings, but most of all I thank you for allowing me to love and serve you. You are the focus of my life, and all I do, I do everything with you in mind and to please you. Lord, you are the love of my life and the heart in all I do; I do nothing of value that doesn't come from a desire to please you. Your gifts to me are in kind... my love for my family, and my affection for friends, they are all of you... founded in the love you have blessed me with. Jesus, I know the love you have for me, and yet I also know that your choice will always be to put the will of the Father before me. I love you enough to realize my place, and love you enough to accept it without question. We share a love for the same Father, and we serve Him the same. Help me Jesus to love and focus on Him just as you do. Give me the faith that could say the words that yours did... "Not my will, but yours be done." Let the blessings of our Father be of lesser importance to me than those things that I strive to give to Him... even though His gifts eclipse those I am able to give... my focus is faithfully on loving Him. Let nothing I give, or ask to receive, harm them or myself, and may everything I ask of Jesus be good, in His name, and within the will of my Holy Father who loved me first.
“We love because he first loved us.”
1 John 4:19
“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”
Matthew 7:11-12
Rich Forbes