Do For Us Whatever We Ask

Mark 10: 35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

We are several days past the first day of Spring. Our long walk in the west through the cold and snowy terrain of Winter is hopefully over. Warmer temperatures are prevailing at long last. Our prayers have been answered.

I have been giving a lot of thought to my prayer life. Is my prayer life as abundant as it could be? In a word, no. Am I asking God to submit to my will?  In a word, yes. My prayer life is a spiritual growth area. I guess you could call it a work in progress. And so, what about your own prayer life? Is it ripe for growth and improvement? All to often our prayers turn into something resembling our ideas of how God needs to conform to our will. All to often we rattle off a list of needs, desires or ideas on how things should be. We are just sure God has overlooked somethings in our lives that would make things so much better. We know that God is busy with so much, and he just needs to have things called to His attention. Does this sound familiar? Is it convicting?

In the season of Lent we often look closely at the Passion Week scriptures. In the Garden of Gethsemane our Savior is fervently praying to His Father. Mark 14: 35-36 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” In this moment and in that prayer we find insight into a proper perspective in praying. Jesus acknowledges His relationship, a very close relationship to His Father (Abba). He asks, hoping the trial that stands in front of Him could go away. And He also declares that His will, the will of Jesus, is not above the will of His Father.

We may not know or understand the will of God. All too often we are short sighted in our needs while God is taking the long view. Short term or long term makes no difference. To the 

Christian, God's will has to reign supreme in our lives. Praying with this in mind serves as a reminder to us and a way of showing humility before God. He is God and in charge, we are not. Let's keep that in mind before we go feel mHim how to run things in our prayer.

PRAYER: Abba, Father, Your will must stand supreme in our lives. All to often we place You second, third, or even last. We are focused on ourselves when we should be listening and abiding by Your will for us. Forgive our weakness and help us to better than we are. Help us to become as You would have us. Let Your will and not ours be done. This we ask in the name of Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Who with the Father and Spirit are one God now and forever, Amen.