I agree. However, she added an additional thought that I have pondered now for a few days. Her request is that her husband would become a follower of Christ.
Second Peter 3:9 tells us “the Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
So, we know that she is asking according to God’s will. However, if I could speak with her again, I would ask “Are you asking God what we wants you to do in answering your request?”Maybe my question should be re-worded to ask “will the answer to your request help you see the direction Jesus is going more clearly?”
If our relationship with a person is more dependent on what they do for us rather than who they are independent of us, it’s not much of a relationship. The thrill of the relationship comes in living for a common purpose together.
As Rich Nathan stated at Vineyard this weekend, the Christian life is not a cruise ship experience. God is not a ship steward aiming to make us more comfortable. He is the leader of the army in which every request he fulfills is aimed at equipping us in partnering with him to defeat the enemy, restore life to the wounded, and bring glory to the Father.
From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:48
Throughout the workshop I used the wedding engagement process as a visual of God presenting faith to us as a gift; our role in receiving that gift not because of the gift itself or the act of the giver but because of who the giver himself is; the promises included with the gift and our part in working toward the dreams and plans of the one who is perfect in this relationship. Shew, that sounds a little complicated. No wonder I’m not sure how it came across.
When we are praying for someone to accept Christ as their personal savior, we are asking that they accept the marriage proposal of Jesus. Well, of course, if we are asking the one proposing, he agrees!
I cannot control the God-given choices of other people. But, I can ask God what he wants me to do as his ambassador. Waiting and listening for the Holy Spirit is absolutely the most essential element here. Approaching our circumstances from our perspective will not accomplish God’s will. The mother of James and John asked for her sons to sit on each side of Jesus in his kingdom. Her perspective was wrong.
Jesus did only what he saw the Father doing. We are to do the same. Only the Holy Spirit can reveal that.
My initial question was based on Jesus’ healing of two blind men in Matthew 20:29-34. They already believed in him and his ability to have mercy on them. Their faith was not determined and probably not altered either way on his answering their request. Remember, Jesus is the giver of faith. We can only accept it or reject it. But, Jesus’ compassionate response of giving the blind men sight provided a new choices for their own circumstances.
Maybe my question should be re-worded to ask “will the answer to your request help you see the direction Jesus is going more clearly?”
If our relationship with a person is more dependent on what they do for us rather than who they are independent of us, it’s not much of a relationship. The thrill of the relationship comes in living for a common purpose together.
As Rich Nathan stated at Vineyard this weekend, the Christian life is not a cruise ship experience. God is not a ship steward aiming to make us more comfortable. He is the leader of the army in which every request he fulfills is aimed at equipping us in partnering with him to defeat the enemy, restore life to the wounded, and bring glory to the Father.
From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded;
and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Luke 12:48
and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Luke 12:48
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