One-minute read.
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. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.
John 14:13-16
Praying in Jesus’s name has two aspects: a guarantee and a limitation. Like signing a check promises payment, Christ promises an answer when we pray in His name. But the answer has limits, requiring consistency with God’s character and purpose. Jesus promises an answer that will bring glory to the Father. Obeying the Lord’s commands tests the disciple’s love; will they submit to God’s will or theirs? Jesus leaves us with His Spirit to help us make the right choices.
“All Saints,”[i] a movie about a church on the verge of closing and Burmese refugees that helped save it, exemplifies the Lord’s ways. Throughout the film, the pastor feels led in a specific direction, yet hardship after hardship keeps happening, making him question his calling. Eventually, all hope seems lost. Prayers seem to go unanswered; efforts don’t seem blessed, all done in Jesus’s name. How the Lord answers prayers and how we think He will differ. What doesn’t make sense to us does to God. The movie shows how the Lord answers, but not how you think it will go.
God guarantees answers, but He doesn’t tell us how. And deciphering the Lord’s will only comes with time and perseverance. All things work for the good of those who believe and trust in the Lord, but we must go through the valley to get to the mountaintop. In the waiting room for an answer, prayer helps pass the time. Stay connected to God, even when you don’t understand, and trust the Holy Spirit to help you persevere, waiting for God’s answer.
Application:
The Holy Spirit helps us persevere.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for giving us the Holy Spirit to help us persevere while waiting for Your answers. Give us hope while waiting, trusting in Your sovereign will. Lead us on the right path as we follow You.
IJNIP. Amen
[i] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4663548/
