Mark 10:35-38 - Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “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.” “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”
About
three years back I was privileged to visit the USA. One thing I will
never forget was the many American foods that I could see in the
restaurants we visited. They looked delicious but I became so careful
not to order what I didn’t know so I let my host Bobby and Page to
always guide my menu. I may have looked remote in the eyes of other men
but I was being honest to myself and others. I had surely not seen a
“hot dog” so I had to be careful in ordering such a meal. It’s obvious
that if you ask what you don’t know but pretend to know it, then you may
look a fool before the people. You may end up wasting your money or get
humiliated before others.
The two sons of Zebedee make
“honorary” request to be allowed to sit one on the right and another to
the left in Christ’s glory. Jesus tells them, “You don’t know what
you are asking”. He then explains to them who is able to sit on the
sides of the Lord in His glory. They would later realize that what they
were asking for, had suffering associated with it.
That’s how
believers have often behaved! We have not allowed God’s will to happen
but keep asking for what we think will make us comfortable. We pretend
to know it all and do not want to spend time with Him or listen to His
wisdom. We follow Christ but at times with wrong motives e.g. looking
fame or other physical request. Our concern at times has been how to
make ourselves happy and we are not willing to suffer with Christ. At
times we want to lean on our own understanding and not trusting in Him
for direction. God understands what’s best for us even during hard and
trying moments. We must not allow our ego or our situations to guide our
requests to Him. We need to fully trust in Him and allow His will to
happen. We must not look for what will satisfy our earthly desires but
look for that which is eternal.
Pastor Eliazar Wambo
Makira Baptist Church – Mfangano Kenya
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