My son asked for a flintlock pistol. This is exactly something my little guy would ask for. He is all things boy, full of adventure, and loves history. In his excitement in telling me all about the flintlock, he mentioned wanting to act out the Civil War using said flintlock pistol.
He has been asking for a lot of things lately. Over the course of the last two years, he has asked for a Star Wars Black Series Boba Fett helmet, a hand-made knight helmet imported from England, a custom-built skateboard, and a professional skate park scooter. With each request, the Lord has provided. Whether it was selling something he no longer used, or a contest my husband won at work, the resources have been there each time, allowing him to receive his request.
So, although I do not see a flintlock pistol anywhere in his near future (at least not a real one), I didn't want to just tell him no. He is a sensitive guy, and that also means he is sensitive to the things of God, so I prayed over him and invited him to inquire of the Lord with me. I thanked the Lord for this sweet boy who loves Jesus and others, and then I spoke Psalm 37:4 over him, which says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
I shared with him the depths of what that verse means. Many people cling to the second part of that verse, “He will give you the desires of your heart.” But what about the first part? The word used here for the term “delight yourself” is anag, which means to be pliable, according to Strong’s Definitions. Perhaps. then, delighting ourselves in the Lord constitutes being pliable to His will.
There is another verse that relates to getting the desires of one’s heart. John 15:7 says, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” But this scripture, when put into context has a deeper meaning than simply getting what you want. Jesus was speaking to His disciples as He began to prepare them for His departure from this earth. I would assume this to be a comforting passage to these men, as it is to me when I read it.
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. John 15:5-8
It’s all about producing fruit, and the way to produce fruit is to stay connected to the
vine. In the Old Testament the vine represented the covenant people of God, planted by him and tended to in order that they might produce good fruit. We see this imagery in Psalm 80:8-9: “You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land…” Here, in John 15:5, Jesus makes his final “I AM” statement in John, calling Himself the true vine. Those who follow Him are the branches, and the branches bear fruit in order to bring glory to the Father (15:6).
When I read the first eight words of this passage, “I am the vine, you are the branches,” I think of nearness to Jesus. So near that we are intertwined with one another. Isn’t that the picture here? Remember, He said “if you abide in me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” If His words abide in me, then I will want what He wants. I will ask for what will bring Him glory. I will be pliable to His will, bending according to His desires for me.
One might wonder how a Boba Fett helmet or a scooter can bring God glory. I don't know. I do know that my sweet little one knows how much God loves him and how much God sees him. Every request the Father has answered has pointed right back to Him, and the faith that is being cultivated in my little guy’s heart can spring forth in ways yet unseen. He is learning that if he stays close to Jesus and pliable to His will, God will do what will bring Him glory.
