Making Informed Requests- The Sons Of Zebedee
As parents, we certainly want the best for our children. It’s easy however, to do as the mother of the sons of Zebedee did, and ask God for something that’s not part of His plan. We should surrender our children to Him, and trust that He knows what’s best.
The Sons Of Zebedee
The gospel of Matthew 20:20-23 says,
“Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. And he said to her, ‘What do you want?’ She said to him, ‘Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.’ Jesus answered, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?’ They said to him, ‘We are able.’ He said to them, ‘You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.’”
Matthew 20:20-23
Jesus had just told the disciples that He would be crucified and then raised on the third day. Maybe they focus on the last part of what He said, the part about Him being raised from the dead on the third day. Maybe they thought they could go straight to the time of victory. I don’t know for sure.
You Don’t Know What You Are Asking
But what I do know is that this mother didn’t understand what she was asking. You might say that she had no way of knowing what the Master had told His followers when He took them aside as they journeyed to Jerusalem. However, I have a sneaking suspicion James and John asked their mother to speak with Jesus on their behalf. After all, the other disciples were displeased with the brothers, not their mother. Plus, Jesus addressed the sons of Zebedee directly.
At any rate, we know this likely happened right after Jesus made His declaration about what awaited Him. After all, this passage immediately follows yesterday’s and begins with the word then. “Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee …”
While this mother loved her boys, she obviously didn’t understand what Jesus had said earlier about the necessity of becoming like little children if one wants to be great in God’s kingdom. She wanted her sons to occupy the positions of highest authority, next to the Lord Himself.
Do We Want The Same For Our Children?
It’s easy to look back and realize how unwise this mother’s request was, but we have the advantage of hindsight. Don’t we want the same for our sons and daughters, at least to a certain extent?
We want them to hold positions of power and influence. We want them to be successful and happy. We want them to be worthy of respect and to be held in high esteem by others.
But do we want them to suffer? Do we want them to face hardship? Do we want them to experience trials?
Our Prayers
Our prayers may go something like this—though we would never voice the last portion aloud and rarely admit, even to ourselves, that we think this way:
Dear God, may my child always follow You … but may the journey be smooth-going.
Dear Lord, may my child have a giving nature … but always have plenty for herself and her family.
Father God, may my child be 100 percent surrendered to You … but may You never ask her to give up anything of significance.
Lord, I surrender my child to You … but please don’t call him to become a pastor or a missionary.
God, it’s alright if You call my child to be single … but I’d much prefer he settle down and give me grandchildren.
Remembering God’s Plan
To some degree, we may say we understand that the only way to reach the mountaintop is to climb the steep, rocky path, but we often prefer to ride the tram to the top—and we certainly prefer that for our children. But as anyone who has climbed a mountain can attest, there is far more satisfaction in making the climb.
Think of your own life. If you’re like me, genuine spiritual growth has often come after times of doubt and sorrow. Plus, God’s plan for me has rarely been what I had in mind—but it has always been the better plan.
As my daughter has often said, “We wouldn’t know how wonderful the sunshine is if we never experienced the rain.”
Surrendering Our Children To God
It’s hard to allow our children to face hardships and trials. We want them to be strong, wise, loving individuals without facing the challenges that God will use to make them that way.
I encourage you to surrender your sons and daughters—and yourself—to the Lord 100 percent. Trust that if there are valleys and steep climbs ahead, He will see you through. And when you come to the place He has prepared for you, I guarantee the view will be amazing.
I also encourage you to ask God to help You recognize when He is doing something amazing in your life and in the lives of your children—even if it won’t result in the plans and purpose you have in mind for yourself and your family.
Do you have plans for your children? We would love to hear from you. Share your comment below or contact us at HopeStreamRadio.
Steph Nickel
Steph Beth Nickel is eclectically interested and eclectically involved. In all she does, Steph seeks to nurture and inspire. She is currently working on the first book in a nonfiction series. Nurture and Inspire LOVE is a compilation of the first devotionals she wrote for HopeStreamRadio.
Steph is a freelance writer and editor. She is the coauthor of Paralympian Deb Willows’ award-winning memoir, Living Beyond My Circumstances, published by Castle Quay Books. Deb and Steph are working on a follow-up book.
You can visit her website, stephbethnickel.com, to learn more about her.
Visit Steph’s contributor’s page or at Steph Nickel’s Eclectic Interests.
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