So Long, Normal by Laura Story

Author:Laura Story
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Published: 2021-05-12T00:00:00+00:00

Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42–45)

To paraphrase, Jesus told them they were right. There were plenty of religious leaders who used their power for self-exaltation, for control and superiority. But Jesus wasn’t one of them. And I imagine him lowering his voice a bit and speaking the next line slowly. It. Shall. Not. Be. So. Among. You. Rather than exaltation, my way is humility. Rather than self-assertion, my way is self-denial. Yes, you will reign with me in eternity. But first, you must become servants and slaves. If you follow me, this is what you should expect.

I hope I haven’t been too hard on these guys. As I said, I completely resonate with their self-focused desires. And if you read on, you will find that Jesus didn’t ditch them and grab a new crew of disciples. He patiently bore with them, even when they left him. Even when they denied him. He forgave to the point of using them to build his church. What a beautiful picture of restoration!

To close this chapter, I want to return to the question Jesus put to James and John right before they gave their less-than-ideal answer. He asked them, “What do you want me to do for you?” On some level, his question goes beyond his initial audience. It extends to everyone who reads this exchange with his disciples. It extends to you and me.

What do you want me to do for you?

Believing that God still hears the things we ask of him and operating as if he is still the Giver of “every good and perfect gift” (James 1:17 NIV) is the basis of any thriving prayer life. How does this relate to our expectations? The late John Stott said, “The purpose of prayer is emphatically not to bend God’s will to ours, but rather to align our will to his.”4

Friend, could it be that God longs to reorient our expectations and realign our prayers according to his greater will and greater work? Could it be that dashed expectations are in fact his merciful way of saving us from lesser loves and smaller dreams?

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