⁷ “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

This being the key to prayer is not an overstatement. Every other verse on prayer in scripture subsumes under this over-arching principle. Many commentators and teachers provide all the requisite qualifications to keep us from seeing a blank check here. Others preach “name it and claim it,” using verses like this. You can even ask for lots of money or expensive car. No strings attached or at least superficial conformity to a prescribed set of rules.

Yet amidst the extremes, the simplicity of this verse must not be overlooked, as all of all of John’s account of the Lord’s teaching. Simple, yet, we would also say “profound” in describing this promise; it deserves in-depth contemplation of its meaning. Jesus spoke about prayer often, beginning in the Sermon on the Mount, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Mt 7:7). Later after His triumphal entry to Jerusalem and during the week before his crucifixion, He added the qualifier of faith, “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive” (Mt 21:22). The over-riding principle, though, is abiding in Christ and His word abiding in us. If these things are true, God will answer our prayer.

At the heart of the matter is the fact that God does wants to hear from us. He is not hiding behind some trick question, or waiting at the end of maze that we must figure out before He will hear us. He wants to be found, He wants to be asked, and He wants to give us answers. That is why He tells us in the most simple terms how to approach Him with our requests. This is not rocket science. He tells us to live our lives in intimate connection with Him and saturate ourselves with His word, not only in our minds, but also in our willingness to conform our lives to His teachings. Then He will answer “whatever you wish.”

Since abiding in Christ (like a branch abides in a vine) and having His teachings abide in us (like a tender steak marinates in a great teriyaki sauce) is absolutely necessary to discipleship living, it makes sense that asking God for anything must come out of this context as well. Consider that He has called those that follow Him to a sacrificial lifestyle in order to accomplish humanly impossible things, namely preaching the powerful word of God that changes lives for eternity and to love one another. We need powerful resources, divine help to accomplish this mission. Thus, God is our divine quartermaster, supplying us with the necessary resources to accomplish the job. All we need to do is ask!

Lord, I come to You today for what is need to accomplish Your will – today!