Knee Jerk Devotional: January 4, 2020
John 14:6-14
Passage:
Jesus said, "I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him. You've even seen him!"
Philip said, "Master, show us the Father; then we'll be content."
"You've been with me all this time, Philip, and you still don't understand? To see me is to see the Father. So how can you ask, 'Where is the Father?' Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you aren't mere words. I don't just make them up on my own. The Father who resides in me crafts each word into a divine act.
"Believe me: I am in my Father and my Father is in me. If you can't believe that, believe what you see—these works. The person who trusts me will not only do what I'm doing but even greater things, because I, on my way to the Father, am giving you the same work to do that I've been doing. You can count on it. From now on, whatever you request along the lines of who I am and what I am doing, I'll do it. That's how the Father will be seen for who he is in the Son. I mean it. Whatever you request in this way, I'll do.
Happy New Year!
I am hopeful for 2021 in the same way that I was hopeful in 2020. It’s because there are good things happening all around us. It’s also because we can ask God for anything along the lines of who Jesus is and what he was doing and he will do it.
In the NIV this verse is translated this way,
And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
Peterson does a nice job in bringing out the force of the verse, in my opinion when he writes it this way,
From now on, whatever you request along the lines of who I am and what I am doing, I'll do it. That's how the Father will be seen for who he is in the Son. I mean it. Whatever you request in this way, I'll do.
Too many think that this little passage makes God into some sort of genie in a lamp. Rub the cross three times and say these magic words and believe real hard, then poof! You get what you want.
It doesn’t work this way.
Not one bit.
But, align our hearts with the things of God and ask about the things of God and he will do it.
There is such hope in that. But, the key is getting our minds, hearts, and attitudes right. We must get our eyes off our bellies and start thinking with the mind of Christ.
As I think about the coming of the new year much of my thinking goes to ways that I want to change in myself. I want to become more loving and more caring. I want to have a longer fuse. I want to deal with stress better. I want to be a healthier person inside and out.
These are all things that as I pray, God will join me in, and I can have confidence in that.
As I think about others in my life and praying for wholeness, peace, and flourishing, these are things God will join me in.
Over the years I’ve begun asking God to do the things that only God can do. These prayers have left me with a greater sense of hope. They have also left me with a clearer vision of moving toward others and the world with a sense of purpose.
This year can be a year where we see God do amazing things. We can see prayer answered. We can experience something transcendent. But, we have to get oriented and aligned to the mind of Christ. We have to get on his road, journeying with him, in his direction.
2021, here we come!
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