Wishful Thinking

12 minutes ago

2 min read

Do kids still make wishes and blow out birthday candles?

I wouldn’t be surprised if blowing one’s germs all over other people’s food was a tradition that didn’t make it past Covid!

But let’s think about wishes. If you could have any one wish granted, what would it be?

And if you are too grown up for wishes, if you could have one prayer request answered, what would it be?

In Mark 10, Jesus asks two different times, “What do you want me to do for you?” (36,51)

What would you say if Jesus asked you that?

The first time he asks this of James and John - in response to their request, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”

Before we begin to feel superior to James and John, stop to think of your heart when you pray. Is it not true that sometimes we want Jesus to do whatever we ask of him because we are so certain what we are asking for is the best, the wisest, the most helpful thing to be asking for.

And what were they asking for? Power and position - Glory.

Ok. I don’t ask for glory - but do I? It’s a dangerous thing to look at the motives of your heart in prayer.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jer. 17:9).

Jesus responds, “You do not know what you are asking for.”

Too true. Why then should we try to pray?

The second time Jesus asks, “What do you want me to do for you?” is in response to blind Bartimaeus’s cry for mercy.

What a different heart posture than that of James and John!

Bartimaeus comes to Jesus with humility, aware of Jesus’ power and his own need. He doesn’t demand. He is ever so earnest, and he doesn’t give up easily. But his persistence comes from knowing that Jesus can heal not from believing he is worthy of being healed.

When I opened my journal to begin to pray this morning, I began each request with, “Lord be merciful to me, . . . . “ It proved to be a helpful pattern to keep my heart in the position of trust and submission.

This borrowed prayer has also proven to help orientate my heart for prayer:

Lord,

I do not know what to ask. You alone know what I need.

You love me better than I know how to love myself.

Oh Father!

Give to your child what she herself is too ignorant to pray for.

I dare not ask either for crosses or consolations.

I simply present myself before you. I open my heart to you.

I adore your purposes even though I don't know them

I am silent.

I offer myself in sacrifice. I yield myself to you.

I want to have no other desire than to accomplish you will