John 15:6 “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.”

Every bit of the Upper Room Discourse is so loaded, it calls for meditation on virtually every word! Recently, in reading The Untold Story of the New Testament Church, by Frank Viola, I gained fresh insight into this verse. I had not known, before reading it, that in that culture students/disciples usually chose what teacher they were going to follow, so when Jesus spent the night in prayer and then chose the 12, He was breaking societal norms. That makes this verse all the more pointed. It really should blow our minds that He has chosen us. That shouldn’t inflate our ego, but rather cause us to seek to know just why He did that. Jesus Himself gives the ultimate goal of it right here in this verse: that we should go and bear lasting fruit. If we aren’t bearing fruit, we need to ask the Holy Spirit to shine His light on us so that we will see where we need to repent and correct. Jesus adds something here that can confuse us, because of our immaturity and greed. The idea of being able to ask the Father for anything at all and receive it triggers all sorts of motives. We need to grasp what it means to ask in Jesus’ name. We tend to tack that on casually to every prayer, without considering whether what we have just prayed is actually in line with Jesus’ character and will. After all, that is exactly what “operating in someone’s name” is supposed to mean. If we are indeed focused on His kingdom and His righteousness, (Matthew 6:33) then we will indeed pray in His name, but if not, then we are just saying empty words.

This is actually something I have spent a lot of time thinking about. As I have commented before, in my family growing up, prayer was as natural as breathing. That was an incredibly blessed experience! At the same time, I have always struggled with just why prayer works. After all, why would the Creator of the universe listen to me? And here, He is saying that He chose me! At times I really wonder about His judgment in that, but He knows and I don’t. At this point in my life, I really tend to focus on the “remain” part of this verse, because I am sharply aware that I won’t remain forever, on this earth at any rate, and the whole concept of legacy looms big. What I need to remember is that Jesus chose me to bear lasting fruit, and though I can’t make that happen in my own strength and wisdom, He can certainly do it through me. As He has told me to do, I am to rest, relax, and rejoice, not getting in His way but allowing Him to do in and through me everything He desires, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the good service yesterday, and particularly for the girl from Trinidad. I pray that she will be able to find a good, simple way to get here every Sunday from now on, because she certainly seemed hungry for Christian fellowship. Thank You for the really good marriage counseling session in the evening. I pray that Your words through me would abide in them and bear abundant fruit. Thank You for all You have planned for today. May I spend each moment in fellowship with You so that I will be acting as Your agent in everything I do, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!