Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:
John 16:20-28 (NIV)
20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. 21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 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. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. 25 “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
In what ways do you see the attentiveness of God to those who call on Him in prayer?
Precious Lord, thank You for loving me. You are so huge and so majestic but You care about me personally and the problems that I face every day. You have given me the privilege to speak directly to the creator of the entire universe, how awesome is that? And You welcome me coming to You with my desperate needs and even my petty concerns and You delight by listening to them all. If You can create the stars and mountains, how easy are my concerns for You? No matter how deep my pit, or heavy my heart, or long and dark my tunnel that I am in You are there with me and will help me through it and provide me comfort through prayer. Even if I am not relieved of my anguish here on earth, I have the hope and confidence that You will take me to Your home in Heaven where there will be no more pain, no more tears and I will not remember any of the sadness again. Help me to keep my eyes on You and Your kingdom, and to keep the joy and Your salvation in my heart. Help me to come to You daily in prayer to ask for help with the bad things but also to thank You for all that You have done in my life that has been so very good. Help me take the time to build a deeper relationship with You. Thanks for being there for me. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.