December 29: John 16 23-27

Key Verse: John 16 23
In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

Devotion:
How many times do you think you have asked the wrong question this year? How many times have you asked a question through ignorance? How many times have you asked a question without expecting an answer? And how many times have you asked the right question that was designed to get the right response out of someone else?

Most of our lives, we bark out questions without thinking about the outcome, without thinking about the answer, without thinking about the effect, without thinking... We ask “what?” before we have thought about what was said. We ask “when?” just after being told when. We ask “who?” just after being told who... But when push comes to shove and we find ourselves in a tight spot, we find it difficult to ask the right question to get us out of those situations!

God fully understands us, even when we do not. God listens to us, even when we don't listen to ourselves! God's love for us goes so much further than we can ever imagine, even when our love falls very short of the mark. God is standing by us as a friend, waiting for us to ask the right questions. He has tried explained it all to us, yet we have not been fully listening. He has patiently given us all the information, yet we have not listened. He is waiting for those questions...

How many times have you had to answer silly questions this year because your friends have not been listening to what you have been saying? How many times have you got cross or upset with them because of their ways? God's love for us extends far beyond our friendship with our closest friends. His love for us means that He will never be upset with us for asking the questions over and over again.

His love for us means He was willing to lay down His life. His love for us means He is willing to listen to our every call. His love for us means He is willing to answer every question we have and every request that we make in Jesus' name.

Points to Ponder:
What question do you ask before you have thought of what was being said?

What questions do you have for Christ?