Have you seen the fast food ad recently? The one where the guy comes up to the counter and in a stage whisper asks the employee if she remembers him and the special “deal” he got the other day. She caters to him, rolling her eyes because she knows that the special “deal” is available to everyone!
How about the guy next door who tells you about a care salesman downtown. “Yeah, just ask for Eddie. Tell him I sent you. He’ll give you his best price.” It is so tempting to believe that we need connections to get the best, to get close to people.
I was reading one of my favorite parts of the Bible the other day. John 14 through 17. One of the longest stretches of red letters, that is, if you have a red letter edition. Before the cross, Jesus shared some of His last moments with His disciples, again sharing with them key truths about His Father, His kingdom, and what He wanted for us and from us.
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 have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father. John 16
What? Jesus won’t ask the Father for us? Didn’t He just talk about us asking the Father in Jesus’ name? Confusing, huh? Maybe that’s why I skimmed right over it even after reading it so many times. Yeah, it might be confusing if I stop reading too soon. If I keep reading, things start to become clear.
What was one of Jesus’ constant themes? What the Father is like! Here Jesus says that the “Father himself loves you”. Often we succumb to the view that the Father is a distant, stern, powerful God that should be feared. A God who requires an interface or connection to become reachable. No! Jesus wants us to know that the Father loves us like He does, that the Father wants to be approached directly, that the Father wants a loving connection with us just like Jesus does.
My mom was laughing at me the other day at lunch. I picked up a cookie and took a bite. Suddenly a little hand came out of nowhere and took it out of my hand. I took another cookie, another bite, and the hand took that cookie as well! I finally got my third cookie and ate it all! My youngest daughter was the culprit. She often will take a swallow of my drink too- all without asking. She knows her position in my heart. She knows that whatever I have is hers. She knows that she can confidently come to me for what she needs. She doesn’t need a go-between. She doesn’t need anyone to ask me on her behalf.
In the same way, Jesus desperately wants to introduce us to Father as He knows Him, One who wants us to confidently approach His throne, asking for what we need, asking for more of Him. How about now?
shared in the workplace 3/1/2010