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John 16
We see several instances in the gospels were Jesus answers people’s thoughts without them having voiced those thoughts. The instance in this chapter may be the most directly and thoroughly that Jesus did this with His disciples, because they said, “Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions.” (Jn. 16:30a). I’ve never really thought on their response here before, but it gives me a little different perspective on what Jesus told them about the Father giving whatever they ask in His name.
The typical perspective of Jesus’ comments on asking and receiving relate to actions or things. It sounds like Jesus is saying that if we ask God to do something for us, He will do it. That creates a problem for us, because, to give an example, many of those sick people we prayed for are now lying in their graves. Why didn’t we get what we asked for? Either Jesus was lying or something is wrong with our faith! I see now that neither of those things is true. There is another answer. Our understanding of what Jesus said is wrong.
I don’t think Jesus was saying that God will do for us whatever we ask of Him. Rather, I believe His comments here were about the direct connection that we now have with God because Jesus left and sent us the Spirit. Jesus knew what the disciples wanted to ask. He directly answered their questions without them saying a word. What He told them is that they would no longer have to go through Him to have their questions answered. They would have a direct connection to God, the Father, who gives us the answers that we need when we need them. And because we now have this direct connection with God, our joy is complete because we can never be separated from His presence again.
Zech. 7-8
What did God desire more than fasting (religious exercises)? What was their response to that? Your response? God gave His people laws and rituals to teach them His truth. It was never about the laws and rituals themselves. But the Jews practiced the laws and rituals without embracing their lessons. Their practices were empty. It was like learning the alphabet without ever understanding how to put the letters together to form words with meaning.
God does not care about our empty practices. Rather, He wants us to know Him and our need for Him so that we can be extensions of Him. He wants us to be the fruit on His vine that nourishes others. “These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely.” (Zech. 8:16-17a). In other words, “Love each other as I have loved you.” (Jn. 15:12).