What would we have Jesus do for us?

 "And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came unto Him, saying, 'Master, we would that thou should do for us whatsoever we shall desire'. And He said unto them, 'What would ye that I should do for you'?" Mark 10:35-36

Well, that's quite a question, isn't it? Of course, Jesus has just told them exactly what path lies ahead of them: Betrayal, deliverance to the chief priests, condemnation unto death. However, these brothers seem not to have heard one word of what Jesus just said. Instead of the cross, they are asking for honor and privilege. Amazing. Even they, after the cross and resurrection were behind them, must of knocked themselves on the head and said, "How could we have missed it?". 

I wonder, though, if we were honest, just how we ourselves would answer that question. What do we REALLY want Jesus to do for us? Forget some idea of a jeannie arising out of a bottle, here is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords asking, "What do you want me to do for you?". Knowing that He has the authority to grant us our request, just what would we ask for? King Solomon was actually given such an interview. His request was for wisdom, as he knew he was not able to rule without it. The brothers, perhaps, were quite zealous. Like Thomas, their intent may have truly been to "come and die with Him". So Jesus asks them, "can you drink the cup I must drink?". Their mistake may have been that they simply thought they had the resources in themselves to do just that. They didn't. Neither did Peter, would would later deny that he even knew Him. Nor, saints, do we. 

We are not called to drink His cup. Praise God for that! This was a cross that we deserved, but could never have borne on our own. So Jesus drank the cup of God's wrath for us. Yet, saints, there surely IS a cup for each and every one of us. It is a cup of suffering, of being misunderstood, rejected and mocked. It is our cross, that which we should suppose we have the resources to drink, but, in fact, we don't  have even the slightest clue. 

Paul asked three times that his cross, his "thorn in the flesh", be removed from him. Three times the answer was, "My Grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:13). Later, he was able to answer the question in his epistle to the Phillippian Church, "May I win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness . . . that is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by Faith". (Ph 3:15-16). 

This is all we can do. That which Jesus could do for us, He has already done. It is finished. The cross we walk in today is preparing us for a glory beyond comparison (Romans 8). We only ask to be continually filled with Him, the one who has overcome the world and who lives victoriously in us. Amen.