DON’T deliver me?

Joh 12:27  “Now is my soul troubled.  And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.  ‘Father, glorify Your name.’”

These words were spoken by Jesus as the end was drawing near when He would carry the cross to Calvary.  Although nothing I have experienced can equal the suffering of Christ, sometimes raising support full-time feels like carrying a cross. And the “temptation” is to ask God to deliver me from this trial as soon as possible.  I begin to pray and hope that someone will just randomly write a huge check that will alleviate my “suffering.”  But then, lately, I remember these words of Jesus.

My prayer should not be “deliver me!” but rather, “Father, glorify Your name.”  Since all of creation, mankind, and the church were created for His glory, I can pretty well guess that His purpose in my trial is for glory.  And to align myself with Him is so much better than asking for my own way.

So, in regards to support raising, my #1 request is now analogous to Paul’s prayer for the Colossians (verses 9-12)….that I “…may be FILLED with the knowledge of HIS WILL in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.  May (I) be strengthened with all power, according to HIS glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who HAS qualifiED (me) to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”