“They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.”  But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” (Mark 10:37-38)

Do you know what you are asking the Lord?  Is it driven by pride or one of the vices like greed or envy?  I suspect we often do not know what we are asking.  We think that if the Lord loves us, He will give us what the world calls good things.  The Lord does love us, and He will give what is good; but do we even know what is good for us?  Ask, but trust the Lord in and through all things.

Lord, You drank from the cup of suffering and were immersed in death.  This world is filled with suffering, and everyone dies the mortal death.  I sometimes ask for what can never be.  I sometimes want what never should be.  Help me even in my asking so that I seek Your will, and not my own.  I do not even know what is truly good, right, or even fitting.  Help me, Lord, through all that this life brings.

Dear Lord Jesus, I often do not know what I am asking.  I ask from a selfish motive, and You have told me that I do not receive because I ask with the wrong motive.  Lead me so that I ask with the right motive.  Help me to understand that what will come will come in my life, but that You are with me always no matter what comes.  Lead me to live humbly with what You give me.  Amen.

“James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.”  And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” (Mark 10:35-36)

How often do we go to the Lord expectantly and ask for something?  Listen to Jesus as He receives the request.  He asks what they want.  Our Lord knows what we will ask even before we ask it.  Why ask then?  For our sake He teaches us through everything we say and do.  Yes, approach the Lord with all requests, but learn to come humbly seeking the Lord’s will in all things.

Lord, I often do not even know what to ask.  There are also times when I ask for the wrong things.  How much do I come to You in the wrong way because of my attitude and level of expectation?  Help me, Lord, to ask for right things.  Guide me to know that in You alone can I have confidence.  Lead me even in the things I ask so that I may humbly walk in Your will, doing what is pleasing in Your sight.

Lord Jesus, I often ponder the depth of the salvation that is needed for my own soul.  Help me understand with the things I ask and see whether it is right and fitting for me in accordance with the Father’s will.  Teach me the questions to ask.  Teach me to discern more clearly those things I need to know.  Lord, teach me to seek the Father’s will and what that means.  Amen.