Big ask—big reward

You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.  John 14:14

Who wins when I ask for big things? I have thought it was me, of course. Recently, however, I have been seeing a different dynamic at work when looking at three passages that follow each other in the book of John. When you see them together it will blow the punch line, but it is worth doing anyway:

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, … You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. John 14:12-14

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. John 15:7

Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. John 15:16

Three times in quick succession Jesus urges us, “Ask Big!” These are pretty astounding promises. With such a blank check in our hands, why don’t we ask for outrageous things more often? We could go into the normal list of things: we have a poverty mentality, we don’t think we are worthy, we do not have enough faith, we are not the original 12, we have not even raised the dead yet…how can we ask for “anything”?

This misses the point. We are so narcissistic that we think that answered prayer is about us—how we ask, when we ask, our posture, our level of faith, our insight into the mysteries of abiding, persevering, pressing in, whatever. Friend, it is neither about you nor me.

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. John 14:12-14

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, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:7-8

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. John 15:16

Now I see it. Now I ask big so that Jesus can get a big return on his investment. I ask big “so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.” “Daddy, see what my brothers and sisters on earth are asking for! That’s because I went in obedience to your plan and did what you asked me to do. Now they are asking for “anything” – and we get to see it happen on earth. Let’s give it to them, with a little extra!” 

The bigger we ask, the greater his reward, the more the glory. Go ahead, son or daughter, ask big. Give him the return his work on earth and his intercession today in heaven deserves.

Reflections

• When last did you make a big ask?
  
  
• Do you believe in your heart of hearts that a big request will lead to big glory?
  
  
• How can your answers to prayer and sustained fruit-bearing be aligned?