MAKE BOLD REQUESTS

Sunday: 21st October, 2018

Reference text: Mark 10:35-45

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.”

While growing up, there was a tactic children adopted whenever they did something wrong at home. It was a very subtle form of ’emotional blackmailing’ where before owning up to take responsibility, they would stand some distance from their parents and say: ‘promise me that you won’t get angry’. Though on some occasions it worked, at other times, it only made matters worse.

What can be a modern day adaptation of this is seen in action when a request, that is likely to be refused, is made. Thus, the person making the request often throws in a caveat that seeks to all but guarantee the granting of their request. That is the approach the sons of Zebedee, James and John, are seen to have employed today. The nature of their request makes it seem as though they were the ones who had something to offer to Jesus: ‘if you say you will do, then we will tell you what we want to’.

One might even dare say, that they may have even expected a ‘Yes, I will do’ answer from Jesus before making their request known to him. The one trait that stands out in this text is boldness because it clearly takes guts to walk up to any superior to inquire about guarantees regarding anything, much less demand them. These disciples however walked up to the author of the universe with a request to which they weren’t ready to take no for an answer.

Beloved, Jesus may not have said yes to their request, but there was absolutely no indication that He was in no mood to listen. In fact, He led them on. God has granted us access to his throne room and invites us to boldly approach him. We may want Him to say yes to each and every request we put before him, but his plans for our lives and his love for us means that the answers we expect will not always be given. Regardless, we are invited to ask.

Remember # approach the throne with boldness, that you may receive help in time of need.

#sly