” ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus asked him. The blind man said, ‘Rabbi, I want to see.’ ” (Mark 10:51)
“What do you want me to do for you?”
“I want you to send someone to teach me to juggle chainsaws.”
“Why?”
“Because people would pay a lot of money to see a blind guy juggle chainsaws. After I earned enough from my act, I could pay for a trip to go see this doctor I heard about who specializes in my condition. He does this progressive treatment, and I might get my vision in a few years.”
When he got his chance, Bartimaeus didn’t ask Jesus to help him with the first step in a complicated plan to get what he wanted. He simply asked for what He wanted and let Jesus worry about the plan. Simple prayers are evidence of big faith in God. Complicated prayers can be evidence of faith in my ability to make good plans.
Think: How often do you ask God to give you a step on the path to what you want instead of just asking for what you want? Why do you think we tend to tell God what method to use to give us what we’re asking for?
Pray: Practice this. Think through a recent request you’ve been making of God and strip it down to the bottom line of what you really want. Then ask Him for it as simply as you can and trust Him to give it to you (or not) in the way He thinks is best.
Do: If you pray with a group this week, listen to the requests and notice how different people ask God for what they want.