“In that day you will no longer ask Me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in My name.” John 16:23 NIV
In this text, Jesus gives us a command to pray. On the night He was betrayed, Christ said to the disciples, “Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24). So, according to Jesus, if we want full joy, ask. That’s the command. ‘Ask’ in other words, pray. The grammar here has a durative aspect to it. It is what we are to continually do. “Keep asking.” I did two Comrades Marathons. People stand along the route and cheer the runners on, and it would have been very frustrating if they said, “Run.” That’s what I was already doing. Instead, they would cheer, “Keep running.” Here, Jesus is doing something similar. He’s cheering us on by commanding us to keep asking and keep praying. We need this encouragement because prayer is work. It is very easy to become discouraged in prayer. Our prayers work. They work powerfully. They are not a waste of time. In Colossians 4:2, 5, we read, “Continue steadfastly in prayer,” and that call comes in the middle of several instructions which Paul says are, “making the best use of the time.” We are to use our time wisely and prayer is a good and wise use of our time. In Colossians 4:12, Paul talks about a man named Epaphras who is “always struggling on your behalf in his prayers.” He’s doing something mighty and powerful by praying. Prayer accomplishes things because of the power of the One to Whom we are praying.
PRAYER THOUGHT
Lord Jesus, thank You for the wonderful work of prayer.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord Jesus, thank You for encouraging us to pray, for we are doing something mighty and powerful, and it brings glory and honour to Your name. AMEN
INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)
Jeremiah 29:10-14
LISTEN TO TODAY’S DEVOTION
If you received our daily emails, please listen to today’s devotion on our website www.ffdl.co.za
On Facebook follow this link to start listening.