Quick Note – Mark 10:35-39 – Not Santa Clause

Mark 10:35-39 – 35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 36 And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” 37 And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” 38 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?” 39 And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

I know that we haven’t reached Halloween yet, and we certainly haven’t passed Thanksgiving, but the Christmas season is upon us.  It is almost here and that is quite exciting.  During Christmas, many people buy presents for friends and spend time with family they haven’t seen in a while.  They create lists of things that they want and hope and pray that it will be found under the Christmas tree that year. 

When I was a child, I loved this season.  It was a time when there was no school, no homework, and no worries.  It was a time when I had an opportunity to ask for whatever I wanted and to hope that it might be one of the presents I got that year.  It was a time when I thought that whatever I asked for, Santa would bring me if I was good.  Obviously, that didn’t always happen.  But those memories are still some of the best. 

We as Christians seem to treat God like Santa Clause.  We think of Him as this magical genie that will grant every wish we desire.  We pray as if He is obligated to fulfill our request, and if it doesn’t happen, then God is unfaithful and unloving.  But this is the wrong way to view things, for God cannot be forced to do anything.  He is not obligated to do whatever we ask.  He is God, and we are His servants.  We are simply requesting it from Him.  It should not be a demand. 

In our passage today, James and John, the disciples of Jesus, wanted Him to “do for us whatever we ask of you.”  Basically, they were asking for a blank check from Him.  They wanted Him to give them whatever they wanted.  When Christ asked them what they desired, they responded by saying, “Let us have the most honorable positions on your left and right hand when you rule in the future.”  To this request, Jesus said, “…To sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but its is for those for whom it has been prepared.”  It was not that Jesus couldn’t do it, but He would only do what was God’s will, what God had prepared in His plan.  James and John could not force Him to do whatever they asked. 

We should never think that God must do whatever we ask of Him.  Again, He has no obligation to fulfill our requests and no requirement to do it.  If He does, He is showing His love and grace.  But if He doesn’t, He is doing what is best for us and fulfilling His will.  Let us never think that God must do whatever we ask of Him.  He is not Santa Clause.  He is not the Genie in the lamp.  He is our God.  Let us love and respect Him as so.