Day 33: And so that whatever you ask in my name, the Father will give you
Jesus pauses to let the metaphor of “fruit that will last” sink in. He can see the nods of understanding and hear the soft murmurs of agreement. Matthew rubs his eyes and rolls his shoulders as he feels the fatigue of the wine at the Passover. It was good wine too, but not as good as the wine they had at the wedding in Cana! His mind wanders back to the first, extravagant, and joyful miracle he witnessed Jesus perform when he turned water to wine. Even now, he shakes his head in wonder. Jesus smiles as he watches the group. He’s thinking about the wedding too…the one at Cana, and the future, glorious one at the end of time.
Bringing his mind back to the chilly spring evening and the weary band of disciples gathered around him, he senses the urgency of giving them hope and practical tools for the difficult journey ahead. He has pronounced them “friends,” inviting them to participate in the grand story with a vision of producing fruit – fruit that will last. Now, he wants to give them agency if, like a branch, they remain IN him. Maybe he reviews the last few things he has said. “I chose you… I appointed you to bear fruit that will last…” He continues, his voice grave and yet joyful as he pronounces an incredible promise,
“so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.”
He leans back, his eyes wide and sincere as he looks around the group. Matthew looks at Jesus and laughs out loud. As a tax collector who has used Caesar’s name to collect money, he knows the power of using someone’s name! The others take a second to catch on, but quickly join in the response of delight.
Vineyard Metaphor
Every bottle of wine is a signature of a time and a place.
The grapes in every bottle were grown during a particular year in a particular place.
After fermenting in the barrel for the amount of time prescribed by the winemaker, the wine is ready for bottling, labeling, and resting until it is ready for drinking.
While there are many rules and regulations about what information must be on a label and how information is portrayed on the label, the four components critical to understanding what is in a bottle of wine are:
the brand of wine, or the name of the winery
the vintage date, or what year the grapes were harvested
the varietal, or the type of grapes used for the wine
the appellation, or the wine region where the grapes were grown
Sometimes, when a particular vineyard produces exceptional fruit, a winemaker may choose to make wine from that single vineyard. Single vineyard designations are proudly displayed on the label along with the other information.
The name on the label and the winemaker responsible for making the wine in the bottle will win the accolades if the wine is especially good. A savvy wine drinker will gravitate towards labels and winemakers that are known for making great wine.
Reflection and Meditation
Imagine the wine that is made from the vineyard the Father tends.
Can you picture the beloved Vine to which you were attached and the fruit that was hanging on your branch? That fruit was harvested, crushed, and fermented. Now, it’s time to bottle the wine and put a label on the bottle.
Picture the label. Can you imagine a label naming the single vineyard? The Vineyard of the Lord. Maybe the label even names a single vine…Jesus, the True Vine.
The fruit that went into this bottle was the well-loved, prized fruit of the vineyard. The Gardener and the Vine gave the branches whatever they needed to produce beautiful fruit, and now the fruit will last as wine…communion wine… wine of the new creation…
When the name of Jesus is on the bottle, the Gardener will always answer the cry of the branches for good fruit. Beautiful fruit is always in alignment with God’s will.
Take a moment to consider what kind of fruit God is developing in your life. Is God developing fruits of character, like love, joy, patience, or peace? Is God developing spiritual gifts like teaching or healing?
Ponder what requests you might make “in Jesus’ name.” Be bold to ask God for what will produce beautiful fruit.
“God will either give us what we ask or give us what we would have asked if we knew everything he knew.”