8 February 2014 - may i take your disorder

8 February 2014 - may i take your disorder

God said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.”

God says this to Solomon but he says it to all of us as well.  He says, "whatever you ask in my name, I will do" (cf. Joh. 14:13). Yet our freedom is supposed to be occasion to respond in love.  He honors requests made in his name.  In other words, we "receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him" (cf. 1 Joh 3:22).  When we choose to engage our freedom in the loving service of God and neighbor the way we desire to use that freedom changes.  

When we don't commit our freedom to loving service we hear the LORD tell us to ask him for something and we are quick to respond: 'Long life, riches, and the life of my enemies, and hurry up about it.'  Really?  Yep.  Long life?  Think of how many different forms this takes.  Praying for long life means to pray for all the things that would make such a life worth living, all the blessings and consolations that entails.  Praying for riches means to pray for stability and against all of the uncertainties of life.  Praying for the death of our enemies really means to be free from the fear of all the things in the world that might cause us grief.  None of these prayers are bad prayers.  They are just not the best prayer and therefore they are not the right prayer to pray first.  Priority is everything.  We must respond to God's invitation like Solomon.  We must seek first the kingdom.

I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen,
a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted.
Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart
to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.

Solomon knows enough to know that he doesn't know enough.  His prayer is first to rely on the LORD for the wisdom he needs.  In love he surrenders even his right to understand on his own.   

I give you a heart so wise and understanding

And when we seek first the kingdom he will add the rest unto us as well.

In addition, I give you what you have not asked for,
such riches and glory that among kings there is not your like.”

What Solomon is fundamentally asking is, "Lord, teach me your statutes."  He seeks the LORD with all his heart so that he might not stray from his commands.  He treasures the promise of the LORD to answer his prayers and to guide him in his ways.  We should realize that asking for wisdom, as Solomon does, and asking to know the statutes of the LORD are not opposed.  They are synonymous.  For this reason the psalmist shows the same priorities as Solomon when he says that he rejoices in the way of God's decrees "as much as in all riches."

When we don't seek the kingdom first we have no ultimate direction.  We act without reference to anything larger than the passing moment.  We build on sand.  But Jesus sees us and is moved with pity.  He loves us and wants to teach us the one thing which is really necessary (cf. Luk 10:42).  He is the Good Shepherd, never content to watch us stray.

When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.

And once we are learning from him and building his kingdom let us learn from the Apostles who remember to give thanks for what Jesus is doing through them.  They ponder these things in their hearts to build themselves up in trust and against future dryness and arridity.

The Apostles gathered together with Jesus
and reported all they had done and taught.

Hopefully our hearts are moved with pity for the lost sheep of the world as well.  May Jesus use us to reach them and to teach them many things.  They might not be complicated points of theology.  But they may include what simple and unselfish love looks like.  And if we are at times thwarted by the needs of others let us also, when we can, heed the invitation of Jesus:

“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”

He calls all who labor to this rest in his presence.  This, after all, is the goal which unifies all other desires and purposes of life.