Do You Know What You're Asking For?

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?"

"We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared." ~~ Mark 10:35-40 NIV

“Mom, come outside and see what I found!”

I hurry through the house hearing some sense of urgency in Chase’s voice. As I step out through the glass door, I see the puppy.

“Mom, he followed me home while I was out riding my bike. Can I please keep him? It’s a boy, please.”

“That dog belongs to somebody and it’s so small it would need to be an inside dog. You can take care of him until we find the owner.”

“I promise I really will take care of him. Look he already likes me.”

Does my son really know what he’s asking for? I had him take care of the puppy that followed him home all through out the day, including cleaning up after its potty mess. He no longer was excited about keeping this dog.

Sometimes there are things in life that we think we really want. Naturally as humans, we want things, like a new puppy. But with those things comes something called – responsibility.

James and John asked Jesus to allow them to sit with Him in His glory. Jesus asked them if they could drink for the cup he would drink and be baptized with the baptism He had. They agreed they could. They thought it would be a great idea to have what Jesus had—glory. But Jesus told them that they did not know what they were asking for and they would drink from the cup and be baptized, but only the Father could decide where they sit.

Jesus suffered a death on the cross for the Father’s glory so that all men and women can be saved. Jesus asked James and John by asking if they could take the cup and the baptism which represented sufferings. They said they could and they did. James was the first apostle to be martyred by King Herod sword (See Acts 12:2). John was the last of the apostles to die, but he endured much tribulation and was placed in exile. Both of them suffered for the sake of Christ just as they asked.

When we ask for things, do we know what we’re asking? Once we receive it are we willing to see it through to the end? Whose glory are we seeking—our own or the Lord’s?

Chase allowed this puppy to follow him home, now he will take care of it until the owner can be found or it is placed in a home who wants it. He will need to see this through. When we ask the Lord for a thing, we need to be willing to see it through once He says yes. He will never give us more than we can bear.

Ask and it shall be given. But do you know what you’re asking for?