Asking & Receiving? A look at John 15:7-8!
This was an interesting incident recently with John 15:7-8.. the verse goes like this:
7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.BUT if you read it "wrongly" without separating the verses 7 and 8 and looking at the punctuation, you could get:
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory....So it means, ask and it will be given and it will be glorifying to God? Ask "anything"? and God will give it to be glorified? hmm... a bit weird rite?...
So then, read it again, and you'll probably realise that the punctuation makes a whole lot of difference!
7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.Now this means that it is To our Father's glory >> THAT WE BEAR MUCH FRUIT when showing ourselves to be His disciples.
That is a whole lot of difference right?
And if you go further to the beginning of the verse you'll probably understand it better. OUR GOD is glorified by us "remaining in Him" and "His words remaining in us".
Because if that is so, it means God is FIRST in our lives, and it means that we will have such a close relationship with Him that whatever we ask, he will give to us!
Think about it, if we miss out the first part "If you remain in me and my words remain in you", then no amount of asking can help, cos maybe the things we are asking for are not something GOD can grant.
We must desire to Glorify GOD First and foremost, not ourselves. Then we can bear Godly fruit...
God can't be answering prayers which at the end won't result in Godly Fruit, or where at the end, He wont' be glorified. Sounds like a materialistic God? not quite... our God is also a God of logic, justice, virtues of honesty, integrity.. surely he can't stand unGodly things right?
Just something to think about!
3 comments:
I come across those two verses during the reflection. They match your "Asking & Receiving".
"To have knowledge, you must first have reverence for the Lord." (Proverbs 1:7)
"Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones." (Proverbs 3:7-8)
Those also suggest that God will choose what is best for us and give us this Godly fruit when we ask Him. In my idea, we usually get understanding and knowledge before we receive what we ask for. This way, we will not be like spoilt brats and fall easily into the devil's traps. So that we can glorify God. And I do encourage reading those two quotes from the saints.
"Our Savior says, if you have not recieved the graces that you desire, do not complain to me, but blame yourself, because you have neglected to seek them from me."
- St. Alphonsus Liguori
"If you want God to hear your prayers, hear the voice of the poor. If you wish God to anticipate your wants, provide those of the needy without waiting for them to ask you. Especially anticipate the needs of those who are ashamed to beg. To make them ask for alms is to make them buy it." - St. Thomas of Villanova
If God wants you to have something, He will give it whether you ask Him or not. When someone gives you a gift, it is the person's right to choose what gift right? You just gotta receive.
Like, one day I realised that God was teaching me patience, even though I did not pray for it.
Guess He knows it is a virtue I need to develop. But not easy, for God gives patience by giving me 'opportunities to be patient'... haha
Cool=)It's so you know wow!! Dunno how to describe but Lets all jia you for Daddy=) and be in love with him...It's an indescribable feeling..I pray daddy shower the gifts and love on each one of us and we receive it like never before...together with his gentle wisdom knowledge love and understanding=)
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