John 16:23-24 - At that time you won’t need
to ask me for anything, for you can go directly to the Father and ask him, and
he will give you what you ask for because you use my name. You haven’t
tried this before, but begin now. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and
your cup of joy will overflow.
Jesus had used riddles….parables to teach so many truths
that He wanted His followers to grasp before He took His seat next to God after
His resurrection. Sometimes the disciples understood... but others they scratched
their head in confusion. This particular
time….Jesus was trying to help them understand the reason the Holy of Holies
veil was going to be torn when He died on the cross.
Up until that time no one but a select few could handle the
pure presence of God….and no one could look upon His face. God always appeared
in a watered down form… a burning bush…a cloud of smoke….a dove….to name a few
of the first ones that come to my mind.
Jesus was really blowing their minds with this teaching…praying directly
to God…with no blood sacrifice or priest to take their petition to the father
was radical to say the least.
I admit that I take for granted my direct line to Heaven…even
though I know I have it…and depend on it in times of storm…I sure don’t take
advantage of it on a regular basis. I have learned to be pretty content in my
adult years…feeling that my cup of joy is maybe two thirds full…most of the
time. But this morning’s reminder has me
wondering what it would feel like if I let this great gift that God gave us to speak
to Him directly…to be in His presence any time we want …start filling my cup to
the brim so that it would really overflow.
The key seems to be embedded in Jesus’ words to His closest
friends. Even though He knew that they
were all going to abandon Him….He wanted them to know that they could visit
with Him in spirit any time they wanted…to draw comfort…to draw strength and
courage…to draw wisdom…to draw power. The world was going to split over the
death of Jesus. Many would believe and
draw courage to continue to teach His truth
and resurrection from the Holy Spirit….and many would rejoice that their ideas
of a blasphemous false prophet was true….twisting the truth so that many would
run from the one thing that would save them from eternal death. We might as well be talking about this moment
in time….for things haven’t changed much in the years God has watched us since.
One last thought…or let me present the thought in the form
of a question. What if I spent as much
time with God as I do on my mobile device? That smacks me right in the fat
fingers that type so many misspelled words a day that I am ashamed. I carry
that phone around with me 24/7…and lift my head at the slightest ding from a
notification. How sad that I don’t have
my ears and heart tuned to God’s notifications on a 24/7 basis. How convicted I
am that my intent nightly Bible reading and morning reflection to the blog are simply
a vapor compared to what Jesus was talking about here.
Father…thank you for the reminder that you opened a way for
me to experience you fully through the death and resurrection of your son Jesus
Christ. Forgive me for the times that I have taken that powerful connection for
granted…letting the world’s disbelief limit the power I have received from your
precious Holy Spirit. Help me to
remember to stay in an attitude of prayer 24/7…to jump at the chance to come
into your presence and worship you….to spend intent time with you as much as I
can. Amen.
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