prayer or preparation

Have you been waiting?
Have you lifted a prayers to God
for something that burdens you heart
so much that it hurts?

And you're still waiting?
Me too!

Several prayers, actually.
Not so much for material things
which I want to hold or have.
​
There are prayers for others...
to be healed,
to be found,
to be helped,
to turn around,
to receive strength,
to hold fast,
to have faith.

There are prayers for myself...
for wisdom,
for insight,
for persistence,
for strength,
for energy,
for influence,
for opportunity.
​
But do we always know
that what we ask
is truly best for them...
for ourselves?

Because God hears all
and answers all.
He is a faithful God,
that is certain.

But does He want for us,
what we want for us?

And when we wait long
it's easy to lose faith and wonder,
Am I even on the right track, Lord?

So I must at least consider
what He spoke to His disciples.
For they were at His side, 
listening, learning, living...
breathing the same air.

And when I read
of people talking to Jesus,
I realize that it's the same
as us lifting our prayers to Him.

So I took a look at one occasion
when two of these men
boldly came to Him,
asking the desire of their heart.

This is my contemplation today.

These two James and John asked...
“Teacher, we want You to do for us
whatever we ask.”
And He said to them, 
“What do you want Me to do for you?”
They said to Him,
“Grant us that we may sit,
one on Your right hand and t
he other on Your left, in Your glory.”

But Jesus said to them, 
“You do not know what you ask.
Are you able to drink
the cup that I drink, and
be baptized with the baptism
​that I am baptized with?”
Mark 10:35-38 NKJV

Truly bold...
“Teacher, we want You to do for us
whatever we ask.”

Now these men had some confidence!
Even to say they wanted Him
to do WHATEVER they asked.

Wow!
Then I realize, that Jesus already
knew their thoughts.
The Gospels tell us that this
was not unusual for Him to know.

And, of course, He knows mine.
So if I'm holding back something
afraid to ask it...
He knows it anyway.
But they asked.

Which means I can as well.
For look at His response...
“What do you want Me to do for you?”

He doesn't sound angry or put out.
He wants them to be honest
in their request of Him.
It does not guarantee fulfillment,
but it does open the door to boldly ask.

So then we must realize
that these men, along with many
followers of Jesus at that time,
believed that the prophecy
for the Messiah was to be an earthly
Redeemer who would take authority
within the government and rule.

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government
will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace
Isaiah 9:6

So they have got big plans
for themselves as well.
Maybe if they stick close
and are the first to ask,
He will let them rise to power
with Him and give them
authoritative jobs?

I mean it's not that far fetched
when you haven't read the end
of the Gospel that's not yet written
in their time.

Why not ask.
But Jesus knows...
He always does.

He realizes what they want
but it's not something that is best,
nor is it possible to be realized.

And even though He told them
just a few verses... maybe days prior,
the reality of what was to happen...
the Son of Man will be betrayed
to the chief priests and to the scribes;
and they will condemn Him to death
and deliver Him to the Gentiles;
and they will mock Him, and
scourge Him, and spit on Him,
and kill Him.
And the third day He will rise again.
Mark 10:33-34

They did not... could not understand.
So they asked, hoping that the tragedy
of which He spoke was just
like a worry in His mind that would
never truly happen.

I mean, this was Jesus.
Why, how, who...
Their minds simply could not
process that thought.

And Jesus knew that.
So He answered honestly...
You do not know what you ask.
Are you able to drink
the cup that I drink, and
be baptized with the baptism
​that I am baptized with?”

But they were certain,
because they had set their sights
and this was what they wanted.
They said to Him, “We are able.”

So Jesus said to them, 
“You will indeed drink
the cup that I drink, and
with the baptism I am baptized with
you will be baptized;
but to sit on My right hand
and on My left is not Mine to give,
​but it is for those for whom it is prepared.”
Mark 10:39-40

The cup He spoke of
was His suffering.
​The baptism, that of afflictions
which overwhelm and submerge.
But I have a baptism
to be baptized with, and
how distressed I am
till it is accomplished!
Luke 12:50

So this a prayer
that He would not answer
to their liking.

Was it because He was
a stingy God, an angry one
who found nothing but fault in them?

Was it because they had not
yet earned their way
to the throne of great things?

Clearly not.
This was His reality,
that no one on earth could have
understood.

So He had to deny their request.
But in addition, He felt compelled
to tell them, that one day,
they too would suffer the same.

And that only His Father could give
honor and authority
to those He has prepared.

And I'm believing
that even the suffering
is part of that preparation.

Would they be able?
Would we?

The word able here
refers to being empowered by God;
given miraculous inner strength.

So I look back at my prayers.
Those which remain unanswered.

For some will be yes.
Some will be no.
And some will be... wait.

For maybe I need to consider
there is preparation He is doing.
And that clearly will require
my cooperation,
my faith in Him
to empower and give me
miraculous strength.

Word of God
train me today...
To not desire my way, over His will.

To understand that God has my best
always on His mind, even when I can't see it.