Anything you ask for?

In John’s gospel Jesus repeatedly promises us, “If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it”  – underlining is mine (see John 14,14-15; 15,7; 15,16; 16,23). Again, “If two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven” (Mt 18:19). How do you interpret these promises of Jesus?

To do justice to this promise by Jesus, we have to keep four things in mind.

Hyperbole/exaggeration in Jesus’ language

We find some exaggerated expressions in every language. In English we say: “It rains cats and dogs!” But Jesus’ language is different. He does not just use some isolated hyperbolic expressions. In his way of speaking, strong assertions can always lead to exaggeration. To the question “Did it rain that night?”, a hyperbolic speaker might reply: “Rain?! Man! The whole ocean bucketed down on me!”

Compare just a few examples from the gospels:

• “How dare you say to your brother, ‘Let me take that speck from your eye, when you have a log in your own eye?” (Matthew 7,4).
• “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother . . ., he cannot be my disciple!” (Luke 14,26).
• “You strain a fly out of your drink, but swallow a camel!” (Matthew 23,24).

Should we take such statements literally?

Moreover, think about it. Will God really give anything to us as long as two or three of us ask for this in prayer? Will God hide us from police when we commit a murder, or help us crack a safe when we burgle a bank? Will God hear our prayer when we want our neighbour’s pregnant daughter to give birth to a blind baby?

In other words: ‘anything’ does not literally mean just anything.

Anthropomorphic speaking about God

When speaking about his ‘Father’, Jesus uses human images. Such imagery is quite legitimate if we remember they are just images, not literal depictions. In fact, because we are human, we somehow have to use human images when speaking about God whose reality infinitely transcends our own. But grasping the inherent mistakes in images is also essential.

Long ago in India I woke up one night feeling crowds of tiny ants on my head – I had used coconut oil after washing my hair. Those ants also have tiny brains. They build nests, go out to forage for food, look after their queen and its pups. But try to imagine what ‘images’ such ants have of us … They cannot possibly grasp the complicated intellectual and emotional processes that go on in our mind. The same applies in a much, much larger way when we talk about God.

The word ‘father’ is a human image. Jesus used it to convey the dimension of love that somehow emanates from God and makes our life meaningful. But many women, who have had dominating, oppressive fathers, do not like the image. And a father who changes his mind is a total anomaly when applied to God. God is. God does not change. God cannot intend to give us rain on Tuesday, then change his mind on Wednesday because we ask him for rain. Any change that happens, happens in us, not in God.

So what happens when our prayer of petition is heard?

The human race rules the world

The creation account contains an important teaching. God said: “Let us make humankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals” (Genesis 1,26). What does being made in God’s own image mean? Remember God created everything by just ‘thinking aloud’, by saying a word. Creating us ‘in his own image’ means that, by giving us intelligence, God made us mini-creators who could and should rule our own world.

Jesus came to reveal that in God’s deepest essence God is Love (another human image, but very meaningful) and that love should reign supreme in God’s Kingdom on earth. Jesus did not come to bring about changes to our earthly/physical world. Yes, he used some ‘miraculous’ signs to draw attention to his message during his short-term 3-year earthly ministry. He did not come to promise we could rely on God bringing about changes in our physical world by just asking God for ‘anything’ we needed. As Christians we carry our mini-creator responsibility in looking after our lives and when facing new challenges such as the Coronavirus.

Asking the Father in Jesus’ name

Most of all: notice that the Father will grant us anything we ask in Jesus’ name. What does ‘in Jesus’ name’ mean?

It means that we ask the Father ‘according to Jesus’ mind’, ‘filled by Jesus’ Spirit’, ‘inspired by Jesus’ priorities’.

Jesus had clearly expressed where his interest lay. “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear . . . Do not worry, saying, What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the pagans are concerned about all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6,25-34). And notice that Jesus starts this teaching with the overall principle: “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and earthly well-being (mammon)” (Matthew 6,24).

Now we cannot avoid being concerned about food, drink and earthly well-being – notice the hyperbole also here. But Jesus’ priority clearly does not lie in the material field. It lies in our spiritual well-being. So we cannot ask ‘in Jesus’ name’ for trivials, such as passing an exam, getting rid of a tooth ache or escaping the Coronavirus.

Jesus says this clearly when talking about prayer of petition. A good father will not give a stone when his child asks for bread, or a snake when he or she asks for fish. But notice the example leads up to a spiritual benefit. “If you then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him” (Luke 11,9-13).

This is even explained more fully in John’s Gospel:

• “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15,7). If we are permeated by Jesus’ presence and his priorities of love fill our life, our spiritual desires will be fulfilled.
• ^“ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you” (John 15,16). The ‘fruit’ Jesus is talking about is the spiritual revolution he came to bring about, also through us. Whatever we ask for in that line will be given.

The other Johannine texts are all spoken within the same Spirit-filled context.

Conclusion

From all these considerations we can now formulate the right answer to the question: “What did Jesus mean when he promised the Father would give anything we ask for?”

Did he really mean ‘anything’?

The answer is: No! It does not include any ‘trivial’ thing we ask for however much we feel we need it, no miraculous intervention in our material existence, no shortcut in the human responsibility we carry ourselves in caring for our world.

Jesus promises that infused by his Spirit we will receive the spiritual gifts we ask for: forgiveness, guidance in our mission, a better understanding of our vocation, strength to bear suffering, and so on.

Further considerations may be in order here.

It is natural for us to cry out when facing a calamity. The threat of death or disaster will make us spontaneously clamour for God’s help. But while doing so we should realise that God may not respond by changing our physical reality. God will support us in other, much more valuable, ways.

If we have pastoral responsibilities for others, we should be careful not to promote false hopes, inducing people to expect miracles. Rather we should deflect and raise prayer to more spiritual aims. Jesus will not wipe the Coronavirus from the face of the earth. We should ask God instead to help us live up to our responsibilities when dealing with the challenge.

Last not least, Jesus’ promise should greatly encourage us on our spiritual journey. If we stay united to him, he will not let us down. This applies to all Christians, but in a special way to those who work in the ministry. They can feel ‘supported’ in all they undertake.

John Wijngaards

See also: Prayer of Petition