March 13, 2026
“And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’ And he said to them, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ And they said to him, ‘Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.’” (Mark 10:35-38)
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
Be careful what you pray for. The Bible is full of examples of God giving people what they keep asking for, even when He has told them not to ask. The people in the wilderness grumble against God, and they don’t want to enter the Promised Land because they are fearful of the people who are there. They say, “It would be better for us to die in the wilderness!” And God granted their prayer. They would wander for 40 years, and when their generation had passed away, it would be their children who would enter the Promised Land.
God’s people wanted and begged for a king. God told them He was their King. He told them that if they had a king, the king would tax them, take their goods, and send their children off to war. They kept begging. God eventually gave them what they asked for, and the kings taxed them, took their goods, and sent their children off to war.
James and John go up to Jesus and say, “Lord, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” That’s bold! What’s bolder is what they ask, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” They didn’t know what they were asking for. Jesus’ glory is when He is lifted up on the cross! Do they really want to be there? In His mercy, Jesus did not grant them that prayer.
But, do you know what was there with Jesus in His glory? All of the sins of James, John, the people of Israel, and even you. If you are going to pray, pray for what the Lord has promised to give you. We don’t know what we should pray for. That shouldn’t stop us from praying, but it should change the way we pray. Instead of making demands, pray “Thy will be done,” and remember “God’s will is done when He breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God’s name or let His kingdom come; and when He strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we die.” (3rd Petition, Lord’s Prayer)
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
Your gracious will on earth be done As it is done before Your throne, That patiently we may obey Throughout our lives all that You say. Curb flesh and blood and ev’ry ill That sets itself against Your will. (LSB 766:4)
Rev. Daniel Burhop, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Reese, MI.
Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.
We wander through life looking for freedom, only to realize we have listened to the devil's call to serve our selves, our pleasures, and our lusts. Instead of freedom we find ourselves enslaved to sin. We wonder if we have sinned too often, too deep to ever be welcomed back to the Father's home, back into His loving embrace. Have we lost our inheritance as children of God?
In this short book, author Bryan Wolfmueller digs into the popular parable of the Prodigal Son to bring hope and aid to our hurting conscience. Wolfmueller proclaims the freedom-giving Gospel that through Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection, our place in the Father's house is secure, and forgiveness and welcome are ours in His outstretched arms.