In Jonah's Name

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." John 14:12-14

The last couple of weeks have been super busy as a group of three friends from Wisconsin and I, along with some wonderful local volunteers, have worked very hard to put together the Jake Memorial Baptist College's library here in Monrovia, Liberia. Because it was such a major project and we didn't want to be interrupted by going back to the house for either snacks or lunch, I brought to the school the makings for peanut butter sandwiches and a wide variety of snacks and drinks. 

Image Acacia Landowski

I also brought Jonah. There are two families living on the campus with children his age and he had a wonderful time playing with them while the ladies and I worked. However, from the very first day I noticed that Jonah and his friends were very distracted by knowing I had brought such wonderful food with me. It seemed they found it hard to relax unless they knew exactly when and how they were going to get some of it. 

But they had an obvious plan of attack. The children on the college property noticed that the big soft spot in my heart for Jonah made it hard for me to say no to food requests and so, if one of the children wanted something, he asked Jonah who would in turn ask me.

In the children's eyes, because of my authority over the project in general and the food stash in particular, I was a very important woman! And while Jonah's friends were too young to understand the full legal implications of adoption, they understood that there was something about our relationship that made it appropriate, and ultimately very beneficial, for them to ask for things through Jonah rather than coming directly to me.  

And that is how it is with prayer. Jesus told His disciples in John 14 that they were to ask for things of the Father in His name. When they did that, their requests would be answered. Now of course Jesus was not promising some carte blanche thing based on the magic word "Jesus," but rather He was promising that if they asked for appropriate things—appropriate based on what they knew about God's nature or "name"—God would give it to them. And, very interestingly, that answer to the prayer given in Jesus' name would bring glory to Jesus' Father. 

What an awesome privilege we as Christians have! Just as when I gave snacks to the children "in Jonah's name" honor was brought to me, so when God answers prayers given in Jesus' name, God the Father is glorified. Our task, both wonderful and daunting, is to know and love Him more and more so our requests are the very things Jesus Himself would ask of His Father.

The library-making team! Acacia Landowski, Terri Marks, Julie Landowski and me.

See Shades of Brown.
See The Myth that God Never Gives More than I Can Bear.