“What do you want for Christmas?” I was surprised when Melanie asked me. In the busyness of life, I had not given it much thought, really. I wanted to be careful in my response. Melanie is not omnipotent, but she is omnibenevolent. If she could get me something, she likely would. How would you answer?
Jesus, too, asked people what they wanted. We saw in John’s gospel that he asked the disciples who followed him, “What do you want?” (John 1:35-42). As Jesus came into Jericho, a blind beggar heard the bustling crowd and realized he was there. At the top of his voice, the blind man cried out to Jesus to show him mercy. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. The blind man could have asked for anything. He wanted to see. Jesus healed him. The man who used to be blind joined the crowd, praising Jesus for all he had done.
If Jesus asked you that question today, how would you answer? “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus is not a genie from a bottle, but he is omnipotent and omnibenevolent. We know for sure he is gracious. What if Jesus gave us what we most needed today? How would we respond? A woman told Pastor Charles Spurgeon, “Oh Mr. Spurgeon, if the Lord saves me, he will never hear the end of it.” Remember Mary Oliver’s basic instructions for life. “Pay attention. Be astonished. Talk about it.
