yesterday we read Solomon's prayer
1 Kings 3:9-12
"...give to Your servant an understanding heart...
to judge Your people,
that I may discern between good and evil"
God said to him: "Because you have asked this thing,
and have not asked long life for yourself,
nor have asked riches for yourself,
nor have asked the life of your enemies,
but have asked for yourself understanding
to discern justice,
behold, I have done according to your words,
see I have given you a wise and understanding heart...
I just love that!
asking for an understanding heart...
and God being so pleased with his request
that He gives him a wise AND understanding heart...
AND riches AND honor AND length of days...
Then this morning in my daily quiet time
in The Word Among Us the reflection was on
the life of St. James the greater, son of Zebedee
how his mother ASKS Jesus for her two boys,
James and John
to sit one at His right hand
and one on His left in His coming kingdom!?!??!
(how indignant the apostles were!)
and how Jesus asks not the mom, but the boys in return
"can you drink from the chalice that I am going to drink from?"
and they chime in with a confident sure "We can"
and I'm sure He gives them a knowing smile as He responds...
"yes, you will, INDEED drink my chalice...
and then He speaks the simple truth,
as I'm sure His mind wonders
away from these two cute kids who just want to stay close to Him
and back to eternal thoughts of His Father's purpose
and why He is here upon this earth
and He tells them BUT to sit at My right and left...
it is not mine to give
and we are reminded of God...and His greatness
His will, Jesus' purpose, and ours
laying down our lives...
So mom makes a mistake in what she asks for
for her kids
giving voice in front of the guys!
to things maybe they had shared with her in private
James would make many of his own mistakes even after
this prophetic moment
He falls asleep in the garden; can't stay awake and pray
He flees when the soldiers come to take Jesus away
He doesn't believe the women's report of seeing Jesus
but he's there at Pentecost and filled with the Spirit
and in Acts 12:2 he drinks of the same cup as Jesus
laying down his life
and becoming the first apostle to be martyred
my prayer has always been very similar to what James wanted
except here and now!
the prayer of Solomon's father, David
Psalm 27:4
One thing I have asked of the Lord,
this will I seek
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life
to behold the beauty of the Lord
In 'the word among us' reflection they take an excerpt from a poem
by Michel Quoist
a French priest who lived 1921-1997
yet another prayer that also resounds within me
His prayer is asking God...for...
"I don't ask this evening Lord,
for time to do this or that.
I ask for the grace to do conscientiously,
in the time that You gave me,
the thing that You want me to do."
Michel Quoist
Lord I Have Time
I've been out, Lord,
Outside people were going out.
They were going,
They were coming,
They were walking,
They were rushing.
Motor bikes were rushing by,
Cars were rushing by,
Trucks were rushing by.
The street was rushing,
The city was rushing,
The whole world was rushing.
They were rushing so as not to lose time.
They were rushing after time to catch up with time,
to gain time.
Goodbye sir, excuse me, I haven't time.
I'll come back, I can't wait, I haven't time.
I'd like to help you, but I haven't time.
I can't accept, for lack of time.
I can't reflect, read, I'm snowed under, I haven't time.
The child - he's playing,
he hasn't time at the moment....later on...
The schoolboy - he's got his homework,
he hasn't time...later on...
The student - he's got his lectures, and such a lot of work,
he hasn't time...later on...
The young man - he's playing sport,
he hasn't time...later on...
The married man - he has his house to run,
he hasn't time...and later on...
The father - he has his children,
he hasn't time...and later on...
The grandparents - they have their grandchildren,
they haven't time...later on...
They're sick! They have their cares,
they haven't time...later...
They're dying, they have...
Too late! They haven't any more time!
That's how they're all rushing after time, Lord.
They pass by on earth, always rushing, hurrying,
jostling, weighed down, snowed under, nearly demented.
And they never get there, there's not enough time.
Despite all their efforts, there's never enough time.
Lord, you must have made a mistake somewhere.
There's been a tremendous oversight.
The hours are too short, the days are too short,
lives are too short.
You, who are outside of time,
You smile, Lord, to see us struggle with it.
And you know what You are doing.
You don't make mistakes when You allot time to men.
You give to each one the time to do what You want him to do.
But is it wrong to lose time, to waste time, to kill time,
For time is Your gift to us -
But a perishable gift, a gift that doesn't keep.
Lord, I have time
I have all my time,
All the time You gave me,
The years of my life,
The days of my years,
They are all mine. Mine to fill up calmly, peacefully,
But to fill up completely, right to the brim -
To offer to You, that of their stale water
You may make a generous wine, as once at Cana for a
human wedding feast.
I don't ask this evening Lord,
for time to do this or that.
I ask for the grace to do conscientiously,
in the time that You gave me,
the thing that You want me to do.
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