HERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS
JOHN 16:26-27
JOHN 16:26-27 NKJ
26 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.
OBSERVATION:
We often look for someone to pray for us. Maybe it's someone who we believe is closer to God. There is nothing wrong with that. Although, we want to get to the place where we believe we can pray, and God will hear us.
But can you imagine how these words sounded to Jesus' disciples? Jesus is telling them that in that day, He will not have to ask the Father for them. The day He is talking about is after the cross and after His resurrection. Jesus made the way for everyone to have a close relationship with God. Now we can pray in His name, representing Him, and the Father will hear us. The disciples knew that Jesus could pray and God would hear Him. And they knew that Jesus could ask God for them. But to hear that they could pray, and Jesus would not have to step in must have been mind-boggling.
And Jesus was not finished with His amazing news. Not only could the disciples pray, and God would hear them. But once again, Jesus would not have to intercede on their behalf because the Father Himself loved them. They knew the Father loved Jesus; they were first-hand witnesses to that relationship. Now Jesus was telling His guys that the Father loved them also because they had loved and received Jesus as the sent Son of God.
This was good news, especially because Jesus had told them He was going away. The disciples had looked to Jesus for everything, including answered prayer. So, to be loved by God and able to pray and be heard by God had to be a great comfort to the twelve.
APPLICATION:
Their good news then is still our good news today. We believe in Jesus and love Him. So the Father Himself loves us.
We can pray in Jesus' name and the Father Himself hears us. It is good to know that God will hear you, and you can pray all by yourself.
All of this good news was made possible by Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. And it's available to everyone who loves Him and believes He is the Son of God, the Savior of the world.
PRAYER:
Thank You, Father, that You love me and hear my prayers as I pray in Jesus' name. What good news.