PRAYER

ONE of the great blessings of Christ's redeeming work for us is in the realm of prayer. Jesus speaks of it to his disciples in John 16:23,24.

This blessing is the direct result of Christ finishing his work to save us from our sins and reconcile us to God. When Jesus says in verse 23 "In that day ..." he is plainly referring to the time following his Ascension, for in verse 28 he makes this clear by saying "I came from the Father and entered the world", that is, I came to save people from their sins as the Father planned. Then Jesus goes on and says, "Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father", that is, I have finished my work on earth; I have provided complete salvation, and so I am returning to the father. The Ascension is a declaration that Jesus has fully and perfectly completed the work he came into the world to do, and has provided the forgiveness of our sins, and the restoring for us of fellowship with God.

The blessing concerning prayer in these verses is very full and wonderful, but as we seek to appropriate it there are three things about prayer which lie at the forefront of these verses and need to be at the heart of our taking hold of this blessing.

Firstly, the importance of constant and utter humility as we come to God in prayer. There is a need for holy fear as we approach God. We are approaching holy ground, and like Moses before the burning bush, we need to metaphorically take the shoes of self-reliance and self-confidence and self-righteously from off our feet.

When Jesus says "ask in my Name" he is speaking of the only way we dare come to God. Of ourselves we are totally unworthy even to think of coming into God's presence, let alone asking him for anything. Our sins and sinfulness are an abomination to him, and our persons too defiled for his holy presence. Through Christ's death for us we are forgiven. Through Christ fulfilling God's law perfectly, he has provided righteousness fit for God's presence, to clothe us and cover our sins. Thus in Jesus Name we are accepted, but in our own we are not and can never be.

In our eagerness to avail ourselves of this blessing in prayer we can come before God carelessly and without due regard for our utter dependence upon Jesus and our utter unworthiness. Praying in the Name of Jesus is always to pray depending on God's grace and mercy, realising of ourselves we can ask nothing from God. We thus pray with awe and holy fear, together with thankfulness for God's gift of mercy and grace in Jesus Christ.

Secondly, and on the other hand, we can have great confidence as we pray in Jesus' Name, for his Name opens, not simply the gates of heaven, but the doors into the very throne room in glory where Christ sits enthroned at the right hand of the Father. His Name assures us that God will not see our sins and will welcome us for Christ's sake.

How lovely and amazing is the way Jesus tells us of this welcome by God. "In that day you will ask in my Name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and believed that I came from God." (v.26,27).

Three things Jesus mentions in these verses to give us confidence. One that we can come directly to God. Two that we can look upon him as Father. Three that the Father loves us.

True and holy praying is a combination of this deep humility and reverence, together with this trustful confidence of our welcome by God through Christ. Both must always be present in our praying, if it is to be truly Christian.

The third thing that lies at the forefront of prayer in these verses in John's Gospel is with regard to the content of our asking. When we read the words of Jesus in verse 23, "I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my Name", and in verse 24, "Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete", what do you think about and how are your thoughts expressed in your prayers?

Are we like children and see the promise as a way of obtaining all we want in our temporal life. So much praying seems to indicate that this is so. We pray for our temporal needs, and of course this is right. Jesus told us to ask for our daily bread. We pray also, quite rightly, for deliverance from temptation and evil. We pray for deliverance from sickness and distress. We pray for guidance and help in our business, and many other things besides for ourselves and others.

All this praying is right. It is perhaps what we do not ask God for that misses the fulness of joy Jesus says we will enjoy through prayer. All the praying described so far is concerned with ourselves and not with the giver. Like children we are concerned more about what God gives us than about God himself; more concerned about the gifts than the giver.

What Jesus mentions as the great joy in prayer here in John's Gospel is the giver rather than the gifts. Is it not true that if we have God and dwell in his love, trusting our whole life implicitly to him with child-like faith, then all our temporal needs are safe in his care. Did not Jesus say in his sermon on the mount, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you as well." (Matthew 6:33).

In John 16:25 Jesus mentions the blessing to be received in prayer, which as we receive our joy will be complete (v.24). It is God himself. Jesus says, "I will tell you plainly about my Father". How much of our praying is concerned with knowing God and enjoying him? And if this is not our first concern in prayer, are we not slighting God and seeking him only for what he gives? Are we not saying that God himself is no concern of ours, our concern is only receiving from him?

Yet what sin lost us was God and his glorious presence. We lost what we were created for, that is to glorify and magnify and enjoy him forever. Is not heaven's joy the fulness of this joy of God and the magnifying of his Name? Is not the work of Christ first of all to bring us again into the blessing of fellowship with God? If we are created for God, does it not follow that are joy will be complete only when we have complete and ever more deep communion with God?

Jesus promises, as a blessing to be asked in his Name, that we will be told plainly about his Father. Jesus indicates that this is what the Father promises always to give in deeper and deeper way, when we ask in Jesus Name. And if, when we ask for so many other things in Jesus Name, which we can't really always say we have received, is it not that we are not asking rightly?

What greater thing could we be promised? what great blessing can we know? what greater joy can we experience? than God to give us himself and his love. Jesus says so truly, "Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." (v.24).