What do you want me to do for you?

Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”
Mark 10:51 (NIV)

I answered Jesus’ question. God responded.

The sequence of events could only have been God, something I call a God-incidence. A God orchestrated coincidence is also called a God-smack or God-wink. It means God arranged the circumstances just right.

Have you ever followed a fleeting thought to call someone and it turned out to be exactly what they (or you) needed?

Have you heard a memorable song just when you needed encouragement?

Those are God incidences orchestrated especially and personally for you as He guides and encourages you.

A series of three activities at this weekend’s retreat set up my God-incidence: a scripture meditation, a breath prayer, and a craft activity.

Our retreat leader guided us in a scripture meditation through the story of blind Bartimaeus who sat on the road outside Jericho begging. We were invited to step into the story becoming the outcast, disabled beggar. The meditation put me on that dusty road, pushed aside by the crowd, persistently crying out over the noise for Jesus to pause and see me. When Jesus called for me, His compassionate eyes looked directly at me and He asked:

What do you want me to do for you?

After some thought I answered, “Fill me with your Spirit and use me.”

This isn’t the first time I’ve asked God to fill me. In fact, I offer myself to God daily hoping to be His love in the world:

Jesus, I belong to You. Fill me with your Holy Spirit.

Next we experienced breath prayer: Breathe in your favorite name of God and breathe out your deepest desire. Over and over I prayed “Lord Jesus I belong to you… Fill me with your Holy Spirit.”

Retreats always include a craft which is not usually my favorite part. But getting my fingers dirty making a terrarium was a delightful surprise to my gardening heart. As a final touch on my mini-garden, a tiny sign reminds me of my request of God: Fill me.

Full of God’s presence, I left retreat and returned to everyday life. The next morning appeared routine as I drank hot tea and listened to my favorite devotion, The Wake-up Call from Seedbed.com. The author tops off each devotion by singing a hymn. Some days, in the privacy of my home, I sing along, but on this day-after-retreat I couldn’t sing the unfamiliar hymn. But God certainly handpicked it: Spirit of the Living God.

Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me.
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.
Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me.

God heard my request and reassured me that He answers. I’ve added these lyrics to my daily prayer: Jesus, I belong to you. Melt me, mold me, fill me and use me.

Our God is alive and active. He invites, listens, and responds.

Ask and it will be given to you
(Lk 11:9)

Did you know this isn’t the only time Jesus asks “What do you want me to do for you?” The gospel writer intentionally links the previous story about James and John with the very same question. We’ll learn from their answers in the next post.

There is so much to explore about prayer: I often pray the words of a hymn rather than sing. God sometimes turns my complaints into prayers. And there’s always the question: how do we make sense of unanswered prayers?

#SeedsofScripture #Lent #humble #repent #repentance #40days #Godwink #Godincidence #nocoincidence #HolySpirit