Prayer

"If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples." John 15:7-8 

I recently memorized these verses and never realized how much was in them. Verse 7 says "if you abide in Me and My words abide in you, ask". I have heard this verse many times but never noticed this. Jesus says "My words". This has helped me in understanding more of how to pray, I need to seek Jesus's words. If we have Jesus's words then whatever we ask will be done for us. Do you see the paradox? To get what we ask we must be praying Jesus's will, which is God's will. Amazing isn't it! I just really found that fascinating and adds another element to understanding God's sovereignty.

Then verse 8 says that "By this", asking for whatever we wish with Jesus's words, "My Father is glorified". God is glorified when we pray and when He does things for His people. Not only this but we "bear much fruit" by prayer. Not by doing or fixing, but by praying to God the words we have been given to pray. It is mind blowing, but completely amazing! How awesome it is that God wants to hear from us and He gives us the words to pray. I cannot fathom all of this, but that is what makes Him God and me not. 

And all of this shows that we are God's children, Jesus's disciples. Prayer is so important. It is the most important thing we can do. Talking with someone the other day they said something about feeling like they were not doing anything when they pray. I often feel that way my self. But as Scripture clearly shows, Prayer shows we are God's people and in it God is glorified.