Monday, May 14, 2007
John 16:23 "Whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you."
WHATEVER I ASK?
There is often a lot of confusion with regard to this passage, but only because of our insipid foolishness and incessant worldliness. Too often we look at this passage and ask, "Why don't I get the things that I ask for from the Father? Jesus says here: 'Whatever you ask,' so how come He doesn't give me . . .?" We only ask such foolish questions because we are so foolish as to blind ourselves to the setting. Jesus has not been painting the picture of children sitting on Santa's lap, but of warriors in the midst of a fierce battle. Sorrow, anguish, and persecution is to be the lot of His disciples after He has left. This is the setting into which Jesus asserts this promise. Surrounded by the hatred of the world, attacked by Satan and his demons, constantly tempted and led astray by our own desires, we wonder why God has not given us that new promotion. The right question at this point is not "why hasn't God given me . . ." but "why am I so foolish as to put this on the top of my worry list?"
All this is not to say that we cannot and should not approach our Father with all our problems and desires. That is the promise that we have, that all things can be taken and set before His feet. But we should not be so foolish as to think these earthly, material things are the most important things. And when our Father gives us bread instead of the stones we ask for, we should gladly accept His wisdom and not rage against Him in our foolishness. For we have the example of Christ Himself, who prayed to the Father earnestly about that which bothered Him. Yet when the Father said "No," Christ delighted to do His will rather than to gain His own desires.
