Today’s Scripture: Mark 10:51, NIV- ““What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.””
The question that Jesus asked the blind beggar in both Mark 10:51 and Luke 18:41 makes me wonder what my one request of Jesus would be if He turned to me and asked, “Tom, what do you want me to do for you?”
If Jesus turned to you right now, what would you ask Jesus for? I remember a time when I felt bewildered as to how I would respond to such a question. In Mark 10:35-40 Jesus responded to the request of brothers James and John to sit on each side of Him in heaven. In 10:38 Jesus responded to their request by stating “You don’t know what you are asking.”
Even if we are not sure of our responses, Jesus gives us the answer to all our questions in Mark 10:40. “But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. God has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.” (NLT)
I was brought to these scriptures today through Re:generation’s Week 6 Day 3 lesson entitled “Serve Others.” The key scripture is Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (NKJV)
I am attending these recovery meetings because I feel we all can serve others through what we have received from Jesus. We all must live out the twelfth step whether we are familiar with a 12-step program or not. Alcoholics Anonymous was the first twelve step program developed in 1938. The original twelfth step was “Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all of our affairs.”
As Google AI puts it, “Since then, the 12-step approach has been adapted by many other organizations to address various addictions and compulsive behaviors.” The Re:generation version is “Because of our new lives in Christ, we carry God’s message of reconciliation to others and practice these principles in every aspect of our lives.”
I do like this version because I feel I have had a spiritual experience and new life because of what Jesus has done, and I am uncomfortable when programs state that we have had a spiritual experience or awakening as result of these steps. As I read Mark 10:1 this morning “Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them.” (NIV)
It is still Jesus’ custom to teach us. My experience in recovery and in life is that when I come to Jesus, He is faithful to continue to teach me.
What I have also come to believe in recovery and in life is that God has prepared a life for each of us. The experiences we have lived, good and bad, only serve to prepare us for the life God has already prepared for us. Not only are we renewed but we now offer the hope of God’s promise in Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (NIV)
Through our reconciliation with Christ, we are now prepared to offer His hope and way. We can trust that God has prepared this life and all eternity for us, and we can give our lives to God’s purposes so others too will be reconciled to Him.
Today’s Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for what You have prepared for me. Thank You for loving us and sending us Your Son Jesus Christ to teach us to live for You. LORD, I am asking for Your Holy Spirit to guide me to live the life You have prepared for me. I am praying to take the reconciliation of Christ that I have received to those You have prepared for me. In the name of Jesus, we do pray. Amen.
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