Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Promise first

I have started to read the latest book by Erwin McManus entitled Wide Awake - The Future is waiting within You. At first glance I was not sure I wanted to read it. To be honest the sub title put me off a little. I felt myself saying if my future is within me I don't want to know it. It won't be that great. But I need not have worried that one of my favourite communicators would let me down.

Recounting the story where James & John approach Jesus to ask him something but before that do they want to know the answer was yes. Just like we used to do with our parents. As Erwin says: Promise first, and then I will tell you what I want.

Often we can do that with Jesus. We want an up front yes for what we want. The only problem is that we don't always realise what we are asking for. James & John asked basically to be in charge in God's Kingdom. But they and Jesus were looking at 2 different sides of the same coin.

They were looking at the power, privileges and prestige of their request. Jesus was looking at the servanthood, sacrifice and pain they would have to endure to get there.

I wrote at the top of page 14 of the the book - Being in charge means pain!

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

A lot of good stuff comes out of Mosaic in LA.

It's worth also checking out my buddy Eric Bryant's blog (also from Mosaic) if you're not familiar with it already, Billy.

J

Post a Comment