Today is the 31st day of Lent, a 40 day season of spiritual reflection, repentance, and renewal. During these 40 days we’ll explore the prayer life of Jesus, walking chronologically through every mention of Jesus’ prayer life and prayers in the Gospels.
Here is today’s prayer event: 28After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. (Jn. 19:28-29 ESV).
There was once a time when Jesus proclaimed, “I quench.” For example, in John 4, Jesus tells an outcast woman that he is the source of “living water.” Later, in John 8, Jesus tells a curious crowd, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” There was a time when Jesus said, “I quench.”
But now Jesus can only pray, “I thirst.” Here Jesus hangs, without the ability to satisfy his own deprivation. The one who once provided all that others need is now destitute of all that he needs. So in humility, Jesus petitions. He asks the Father to supply that basic requirement which he cannot secure himself. Jesus asks for a drink.
On the list of things the Son of God might pray for, this may seem miniscule, hardly worthy of a prayer. We could imagine Jesus praying for world peace, for an end to all violent regimes, or for the kingdom to come. Today, however, he prays for a drink. Jesus taught us to pray for bread for the day. Now, he prays for water for the moment.
And God answers. Those tending the cross lift a sponge drenched in sour wine (this is not the medicinal and pain-dulling drink Jesus earlier refused). And for a moment, Jesus’ cracked lips are moistened and his dry throat is soothed.
Do you have needs that are important to you but which you think may not be important to God? Pray about them. Is your prayer list filled with things you fear may be too small and petty to mention? Keep them on the list. No matter how miniscule, if it is one of your greatest needs, it is one of your Father’s greatest concerns. Even if it’s just a drink of water.
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Last night after I was in bed, I reached for a little tube of neosporin to put on my wounded toe. I dropped the tube and it fell out of sight. I didn’t even try to retrieve it but turned off the light and said, “I guess God doesn’t care about my hurt toe because he made me drop the neosporin.” Michael said, “He cares about your toe, but he didn’t make you drop the neosporin.” I knew that, of course.
I’ve heard people pray for victories in ball games, for parking places, for good grades on tests. And, honestly, I just don’t think God cares who’s in the Final Four or whether I have to walk a long way to get into Target. But I do have that propensity you mention, Chris, of thinking that a lot of my concerns are too petty to mention to God. I already feel twitchy about my prayers’ being a long list of asks. I guess I often feel that I have bagged my limit on requests and need to do some other kind of praying.
I appreciate the reminder that God does care about what concerns me. I’m thinking, though, that the issue may be that I need to weigh and consider what my real needs and concerns are and should be–what I spend my time worrying about. If I can more nearly line my heart’s desires up with God’s desires, I will be less likely to bother him with petty requests. Thanks, Chris.
I don’t worry about whether my needs are too small for God; I look at it a bit differently. I am God’s child and I know He loves me. Therefore, whatever is important to me is important enough to bring before God. Especially if it is something that is worrying me, disctracting me, or keeping me from worshipping and serving Him as I should. Don’t we all want our children to tell us when something is bothering them? We don’t want them to waste away with worry and then tell us, “Well, I didn’t think it was important enough to bother you with.” So I pray about anything and everything that is on my heart. Even if I don’t always get an immediate answer, or the answer I was hoping for, I am rest assured that my prayer was heard by the One who loves me the most.
My view on this has changed since I have had children. I, as their father, care deeply about their requests. Even their little seemingly insignificant ones. I don’t always give them what they want. But every now and again you get a precious request like Levi made one day when he said to his mother: “Mommy, it’s a good day for a donut.” Now who can resist fulfilling that “prayer”?
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