Been thinking about this all week. It was our Scripture in small group Sunday morning. "James and John....came to (Jesus). "Teacher...we want you to do for us whatever we ask." "What do you want me to do for you?" He asked.
They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory." Mark 10:35-37. James and John were close to Jesus and yet sometimes they were spiritually dull. They, and others, had in their minds that Jesus was going to become a physical king, and out of their pride wanted to have power with Him. Totally oblivious to what they are asking, Jesus tells them so. "You don't know what you are asking." However, James and John think they understand and answer accordingly.
After Jesus death, burial and resurrection and Pentecost, Jesus words became clear and James and John would follow Him the rest of their lives. James being the first disciple to be martyred and John being exiled to the island of Patmos and the last of the twelve disciples to die.
How ironic that just a few verses following this request by James and John we have blind Bartimaeus shouting to Jesus for mercy. Here is a man who sat just outside the city gates, begging everyday. When he heard Jesus was coming, he started shouting for Him. "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Blind Bartimaeus knows who Jesus is. "Son of David" is a Messianic title and Bart knew Jesus, being the Messiah, could heal him. Out of his desperation to see, and in humbleness of his heart he cries out for mercy. There's no pride here, just a great need for Jesus' healing. And Jesus asked him the same question He had asked James and John. "What do you want me to do for you?" Bartimaeus response - "I want to see." Immediately, immediately Jesus healed him, "and followed Jesus along the road."
Different requests. Same question. Different responses.
Jesus asks, "What do you want me to do for you?"
I've been thinking about my prayer life and being more specific in my requests. What do I want Jesus to do for me? I know that His word says if we ask anything in His name and His will, we have what we ask for (John 14). And if we delight ourselves in Him, He will give us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37). These desires however, must come from God and be His desires first. And when we love Him and are surrendered to Him, His desires become our desires.
Amazing, but Biblically true.
Bartimaeus asked out of his great need. Sometimes God takes us to a place of desperation because that is the only way we will come to Him. When disasters hit this country, Americans turn to God. They start praying. They attend church. Then slowly, things get better and the desperation wears off. It wears off because they felt they only needed God for a little while.
In this country, we are so rich and blessed and self-sufficient, we do not realize our great need of a Savior. We want to do our own thing, our own way, and be committed to ourselves. We are deceived into thinking we are okay, when in reality, we are "wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked" (Revelation 3:17) Not my words, Jesus words and right before He said this, He told them they were lukewarm, "neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth." Whew! Hard to swallow those words.
There is no fear of God anymore. If there was, we would be like blind Bart begging for mercy. I wish there was no need for this verse in 2 Chronicles 7:14, but since it's there, tells me we are not doing these things. "If my people (the Christians!) who are called by my name (Christians!) will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
Life is not about us. Life is about Him. That is why we are here. He is our purpose. He is our life.
What do I want You to do for us? Jesus, I'm begging. Please have mercy.
