Word Among Us

5th Sunday of Easter

Daily Meditation: John 15:1-8

Ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. (John 15:7)

Have you ever heard of snake oil salesmen? They sell a product that they promise will solve all of our problems, cure all of our ills, and guarantee a happy life. It’s a tempting offer. But we know deep down that the salesman’s promises are empty.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that we can come to him and ask for whatever we want. Does that mean that, like a snake oil salesman, he is promising to give us whatever we desire, even if it’s riches, fame, or power? Not at all.

When Jesus makes this promise, he begins by saying “If you remain in me and my words remain in you” (John 15:7). That’s the key: abiding in Jesus. He wants us to be like branches that are constantly fed and sustained by a vine. That means staying connected to him so that he can feed us and form us (15:5). The closer we are to Jesus and the more we let his words shape us, the more our hearts can become like his. Our desires and dreams start to reflect his desires and dreams for us. As a result, it’s more likely that we’ll be “asking” according to God’s will.

Of course, this doesn’t happen overnight. Even as we strive to align ourselves with God’s will, we should still keep bringing our needs or desires to Jesus. We should always come to him with the confidence of children who trust in their loving father. After all, we have a good God who wants to give us good things. But in the end, prayer is not an exercise in trying to get him to bend to our will. It’s a process of freely embracing his will.

Jesus is promising us that we can ask and receive as we align ourselves with him and hold onto his words. He himself will dwell within us and lead us to our heavenly Father. And that’s not an empty promise!

“Jesus, help me to abide in you!”

Acts 9:26-31
Psalm 22:26-28, 30-32
1 John 3:18-24