Whatever

Jesus said to his disciples: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. (John 16:23)

Unlike other religions or beliefs, Christianity is first and foremost about relationships. We cannot be a Christian without having a connection, a loving bond with Jesus Christ, and with brothers and sisters in the faith. 

We cannot use a person’s name to receive favors without really knowing that person. If I was the daughter of the King, then I could go in and out of the Palace, and eat the good food in the kitchen without an invitation. If I was the daughter of the owner of a multi billion corporation, I could ask to use the company jet or helicopter. 

Jesus told His followers that if we know Him, the Son of the King of the Universe, we can ask things in His name and the King, His Father will grant it. Whatever? Not all my prayers are answered, so ‘whatever’ does not mean anything at all. To ask in Jesus’ name means because we have a relationship, Jesus and I, I know what to ask. 

In the chapter before, John 15:1–8, Jesus gives a clearer explanation to what He means: “Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

It is plain that we need to remain in Jesus, abide in Him, be close to Him, connected to Him, that we will understand Him. Only then can whatever we ask of His Father will be granted. St. Therese of Lisieux, said “God gives me whatever I want, because I want whatever He gives.” 

1 John 5:14-15 says, “And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him.” We can only know His will if we continue to have a closer and closer relationship with Him.