Matthew 20:22 (KJV)
But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, had two very different yet vital roles in the founding and early work of the church. James was executed almost before the work began, while John lived into the final decade of the first century, receiving the Revelation of Jesus Christ—the final prophecy of the Bible. Truly, they stand among the greatest of believers.
When they came with their mother to ask for places of honor beside Jesus in His kingdom, He responded, “Ye know not what ye ask.” This wasn’t necessarily a rebuke but a statement of reality.
I believe they were sincere. Their request doesn’t have to be seen as self-serving; rather, it may reflect the longing expressed in the hymn, “Just a Closer Walk with Thee.”[1]
Let’s consider Christ’s challenge: “Ye know not what ye ask.”
This statement reminds us of the limitations in our own understanding. Even in the most spiritual and sincere matters, we are often unaware of the full consequences of our requests. Our perspective is so finite, so short-sighted, that we cannot fully comprehend what we are asking of God.
• When we pray for our leaders,
• for the salvation of souls,
• for the growth of ministries, or
• for blessings upon our churches,
we often see only the surface of these requests. Even the most holy petitions may carry consequences or answers beyond our understanding.
It’s commonly said that God answers prayers with “yes,” “no,” or “wait.” But perhaps there’s another answer: the response to the prayer we didn’t even know to ask.
This truth is not meant to discourage us from praying. Scripture teaches us to approach the throne of grace boldly. Rather, the point is to trust God in our asking. Prayer is not fatalistic resignation but an act of submission to the will of a God who answers above what we could ask or think.
#PrayerAndFaith #TrustInGod #BiblicalTruth #GodsWill #ChristianLiving
Ye Know Not What Ye Ask: The Depth of Divine Answers
[1] From Wikipedia, “The precise author of "A Closer Walk" is unknown. Circumstantial evidence strongly suggested it dated back to southern African-American churches of the nineteenth century, possibly even prior to the Civil War, as some personal African American histories recall "slaves singing as they worked in the fields a song about walking by the Lord's side." Horace Boyer cites a story that repudiates this claim, stating:
“On a train trip from Kansas City to Chicago, composer Kenneth Morris exited the train on one of its stops to get some fresh air and heard one of the station porters singing a song. He paid little attention at first, but after he re-boarded the train the song remained with him and became so prominent in his mind that at the next stop, he left the train, took another train back to the earlier station, and asked the porter to sing the song again. Morris wrote down the words and music and published the song “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” that year, 1940, adding a few lyrics of his own to provide more breadth. Within two years the song became a standard in gospel music, eventually becoming a standard in Jazz, and then moving into the realm of American folk music, known and sung by many...”
What’s one prayer you’ve seen God answer in a way you didn’t expect? Share your story in the comments! Take a moment today to think about your recent prayers and submit them to God’s will with trust. For more biblical insights and resources, visit marvinmckenzie.org.
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