A moment for reflection: The Servant King by Morag Cameron In everything Jesus did, every person He encountered and each conversation He had Jesus showed He always had us in mind. He could have insisted others bend down to serve Him and meet His every need yet He chose to kneel down beside the lowly. He chose to draw near to the outcast. He chose to sit with sinners and He chose to wash the feet of others. In Mark chapter 10 Jesus twice asks the same question in the space of a few verses: (verses 36 and 51) "What do you want me to do for you? On both occasions, someone was asking something of Jesus, but just as both purposes were different, so was Jesus’ answer. In verse 36 Jesus asked this question when two of His disciples, James and John, were asking Him to give them a position of honour, authority and power. In response to Jesus’ question they further said “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”(verse 37) Jesus knew their intention was driven by a self-serving, "what’s in it for me" motivation. James and John were focused on how the kingdom life could benefit them and Jesus swiftly corrected them with a reminder that a tremendous responsibility comes with authority – not being lifted up, but of giving all. The second time Jesus responded with this question as He was leaving the city of Jericho with His disciples. Bartimaeus, a blind man, shouted out to Jesus to ask for healing. This time, rather than reprimanding the man for requesting help, Jesus stopped and responded with compassion and healed him. |
Jesus responds always to our cries for help to bring restoration and healing. Jesus comes near to us when we cry out to Him. He takes on the role of a servant who leans in close to listen, not as a ruler who fights to exert control and dominance with no concern or desire to connect with us. Jesus has our best interest at heart when He asks, "What do you have faith for me to do?" When we bring our requests before God and they line up with His will and His Word He delights in seeing bold faith in action. When we ask according to motives that more serve ourselves we are reminded there is a better way for us to live. God wants us to come as we are, whether we’ve got it right or we need help, rescue or healing. He meets us wherever we are in the journey of faith and He loves us too much to leave us the way we are. Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Jesus didn’t come to demand and control though He could have done so but instead He humbled Himself and took on the posture of a servant each day of His earthly life. Everything Jesus does for us is with love and grace to lift us up to true life, even to the point of dying on the cross for our salvation. He laid down His life for us to know eternal life, freedom, healing, hope, forgiveness, and a revelation of His love. Prayer Lord, we never fail to wonder at Your grace as You continue to love us despite our failings. You made us and You love us. We recognise You establish our steps and whatever we do today we know Your loving eye is on us and You have promised to guide us. We thank You as we appreciate we can do nothing without You giving us the strength to do it. Give us the same faith as Bartimaeus, a faith to come and ask for help with our problems and pressures, believing that if we do so You can change the situation. Guide our steps Lord to follow You every moment of every day. Amen. |
