THURSDAY, JUNE 4
Scripture: Mark 10:35-38

Mark 10:35-38 says, “Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, ‘Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.’ And He said to them, ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ They said to Him, ‘Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.’ But Jesus said to them, ‘You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?’” Many times the greatest mistake we can make is we ask for something that is much bigger than what God is directing us to ask for. James and John made that mistake. They asked for something that required a preparation that they had never considered. Jesus did not say no, but what He did say is, “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” That is an excellent question because that is both an internal struggle and an external agony/ago-nea. Jesus was asking, ‘Can you walk with the betrayal necessary to groom for this, and can you walk with the external adversity that is going to come about as a result?’ With not taking the time to pray that out, they both answered yes. And I am sure that before their life was over, they had much cause to reconsider the question that Jesus asked them. They should have taken time and explored the two dimensions of pain and agony before they answered so glibly. I trust that we will not answer such a question without prayer and consideration. We must take serious time and consider the reality of what is being asked. Walking worthy consists of a baptism and cup tailored to the individual call. Finishing the process acquires the anointing to reach a generation!