What Do You Want Me To Do for You?

In Bereans class we have been studying Mark. We were in chapter ten the other night, and Kirsten pointed out that Jesus says the same thing to James and John and to Bartimaeus. He asked them, “What do you want me to do for you?” We see the first encounter with James and John in verse thirty-six. In a chapter that has dealt with humble service, these two are asking for the places of prominence in Jesus’ kingdom. The next time Jesus asked this question was to Bartimaeus in verse fifty-one. He asked for his sight to be restored. We get to witness a beautiful miracle showing the power of God over our physical bodies.

When Kirsten asked the question, it made me ponder; if Jesus were to ask me, “What do you want me to do for you?” what would I say? I am not trying to suggest that Jesus is some type of genie in a bottle where your three wishes are His command, even though I believe many in the religious world believe that and serve for that very reason. (Have you ever heard about someone leaving God because He did not do what they wanted or answer their prayer?) What would I ask for? I do not believe He will do anything sinful, but other than that, the sky is the limit as they say. Hopefully it would not be something silly like for my favorite team to win the championship. Maybe lots of money. I would be set. My family would be set, and listen, I would be generous to others. Maybe it would be something more noble like having cancer to be erased because I know the impact it has had on my life or the lives of those I love.

I think the question is important because it reveals my heart or what I value. Even better than having all the blessings of this world is to have God. Even worse than the worst of this world is being separated from God. I have to ask myself, what is most important to me?