What I Want..

A little while back I was asked to speak at a breakfast. I was nervous about what I would say, and my best friend was going to be there, so that old "fear of man" issue set in. But as I prayed through what it was I wanted to say, this scripture came to mind~

John 1:37~ “When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around Jesus saw them following & asked them ‘What do you want’?”

All sorts of thoughts went running through my head when I meditated on this verse. First of all it is extraordinarily clear to me that Jesus did not have to turn around to know that they were there. He also did not have to ask them what they wanted to know exactly what they wanted.

It got me to thinking, when we come to Him, Jesus doesn’t have to turn around to know that we showed up. We each come to Him for a very different reason, for our own purposes, for our own needs. Each of us got our own invitations from the Lord, and we choose to respond. Just like he asked them that day, I think that he is asking us that same question: What do you want? Why are you following me? He knows, he has always known. But he so badly wants us to have that conversation with him.

As I was reading over this scripture I started mulling over what it is that I want from Jesus and my relationship with Him. This is the short list I came up with.

I want to have patience~ abundant, overflowing patience. For every one in my life, for every situation.

I want to be able to love others well, the way that Jesus does. The way He loves me. Seeing beyond faults and mistakes. Seeing beyond people’s idiosyncrasies that I don’t understand. I want to just be able to love their soul and their spirit from the start.

I want to be able to forgive people without needing an apology. I want to be able to say I forgive well because I am acquainted with what I am forgiven of. I may be far removed from that situation but I am intimately acquainted with every mistake that I have ever made and I am forgiven of every single one, but I remember, and because I remember the forgiveness I am able to give it.

And lastly, I want to be able to see the people in my life….with an eternal perspective. The way that Jesus sees them. Not just to hear they are hurting, and respond out of this is what is best for NOW, or this will fix it right now. But to be able to see them with an eternal perspective so that I can approach them on that level. That I can see them the way that Jesus sees them. That I am not just concerned with their right now, but I am concerned about their forever. I want that . I want that for myself and I want that for those around me.

So, if Jesus were to be standing in front of you right now, asking what you want from Him, what would you say??