July 6, 2022

A Place Prepared

“To sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.”  Mark 10:40

Today’s reading makes it so clear that Jesus was not the one calling the shots when He was here in this world.  He told His students, for the third time, that He was gong up to Jerusalem to be betrayed and condemned to death.  Not His idea, but He also told them at that time that He will come back from the grave after three days to let them know there will be a happy ending.

The point is that Jesus did not make the plan for His life.  It was already established for Him before He was born.  Even in the next section of reading when James and John asked to a specific place next to Him, He said I don’t make the plans, I just execute them.  He told them that each place and position in heaven is prepared ahead of time.  When you get there, you will already have a place waiting for you.  Nobody decides what their place will be, God the Father has a plan.

It is the same for us today.  We are not the ones who even are expected to make our life decisions about the assignments we will accomplish here in the world.  The plan is already set, but it is up to each individual to seek out that mission and step into that calling with the Holy Spirit’s direction.  It isn’t difficult, when you simply acknowledge Him in all your ways and each step you take, He will direct your path and make plain the road designed for you life.  However, if you determine that you are going to make your purpose to be about your own desires and dreams, you will have a harder time discerning His direction when it is given. You will already be in the habit of make decision based on the external circumstances such as costs and feelings rather than trusting Him to provide all that is needed to fulfill His the purpose your were created for.

Today I want to encourage you to press in for your part of His plan.  Ask your Father in Heaven to make His plans and purposes for your life to be loud and clear.  Ask Him to lead you to scripture that confirms the direction He is leading and follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit within you to be a blessing to others. Then trust Him to supply every need required to carry those instructions out.  It takes faith to believe we are here in this world to serve those around us, not ourselves.  Take those steps of faith today and watch how a whole new world opens up around you!

Today’s scripture reading: Mark 10:32-45

32 Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him: 

33 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; 

34 and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”

36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

37 They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.”

38 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?”

39 They said to Him, “We are able.” So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; 

40 but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.”

41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. 

42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 

43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 

44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 

45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”