Day Forty-two

“‘You don’t know what you are asking,’ Jesus said to them.” (Matt. 20:22)

Scripture Reading: Matthew 20:20–28

In our quest to become effective prayer warriors, we need to know God’s heart. As we become more aware of His priorities and objectives, we begin to understand a little more how He thinks; therefore, we are better equipped to pray in His will.

At first glance, the mother of James and John seemed to have unmitigated gall in her request. In reality she came to Christ in humility (see v. 20). She knelt before Him and made a request. This was not a disrespectful woman; she was a dedicated mother who wanted only the best for her sons. In her faith she believed that Christ’s kingdom was imminent, and she wanted her sons on each side of His throne.

Christ responded, “You don’t know what you are asking.” (If He granted her request, one of her boys was going to be sitting on God’s lap—since Christ sits to the Father’s right.) One of the most compassionate actions Jesus ever takes is to overrule a prayer request when we don’t know what we’re asking. Christ knew a guarantee of grandeur would do nothing positive for James or John, but a life of selfless servanthood would guarantee them grandeur in the kingdom.

We want great things for those we love. We want only the best for them, but we sometimes don’t realize that what we’re asking may not be best. We want them to “arrive” in life. Christ wants them on the way.

God often convicts me about things I request for my loved ones. Through my journal He pointed out my many requests for my daughters to avoid trials. Invariably my next prayer would be, “Make them mighty women of God.” I could almost hear Him saying, “Beth, make up your mind.” His words from 1 Peter 1:7 pierced my heart: Trials “come so that your faith . . . may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” More than anything I want my girls’ lives to prove genuine and to honor God. I’m learning now to pray that He simply be as gentle as possible as He continues working His glory in them.

I asked God to let my mother avoid all suffering in her struggle with cancer. Then His words struck me to the core: “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown” (Rev. 3:11). I realized that I may have been inadvertently interfering with her crowns. God may have been preparing the “crown of life” for her, given to those who remain faithful through suffering (James 1:12).

I prayed for God to raise up a husband for a friend. Then I watched her develop a relationship with God and a personal ministry that required single-minded devotion.

No, we don’t always know what we’re asking. We must continue to learn what He values. Then as we pray, allow the great High Priest to overrule when our requests for those we love would cheat them of God’s best.