What Do You Want Me to Do for You?

There’s a question that Jesus asked people several times in the Gospels, and He continues to ask you and me today:

“What do you want me to do for you?”

At first glance, this seems like a simple question. But Jesus didn’t ask because He lacked information. He asked to invite people into deeper honesty about what was really going on inside their hearts.

In Mark 10, we see two clear examples of how differently people can respond when faced with this question.

Bartimaeus: Honest and Humble (Mark 10:46-52)

Bartimaeus, who was blind, desperately wanted healing. When Jesus asked him, Bartimaeus was clear and straightforward: “Rabbi, I want to see.”

His longing was honest and real. Jesus honored that honesty and healed him.

James and John: Ambitious but Misguided (Mark 10:35-45)

Just before this, two of Jesus’ disciples, James and John, were asked the same exact question. Instead of sharing genuine, humble desires, they requested positions of honor:

“Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”

Their longings were misguided. They were looking for status and recognition instead of what truly matters. Jesus lovingly corrected them, teaching that greatness in His Kingdom looks like humility and serving others.

An Invitation to You and Me

When I finally slowed down enough, stopped talking, and simply sat in God’s presence, I felt Jesus asking me that same question clearly: "Daniel, what do you want me to do for you?"

In that quiet moment, I realized something important: Jesus wasn’t looking for me to give Him a list of what I thought I needed or wanted from Him, like He didn’t already know. Instead, He was inviting me to be honest about my deepest desires, to name them, to bring them into His presence, and to allow Him to shape and transform them.

What I found is that my deepest desire is simply to be made whole. To be healed. To become exactly the person God originally created me to be.

One of the best ways I’ve learned to share my deepest longings honestly with Jesus is through journaling. I know journaling can feel awkward at first. But I promise you, the more you practice, the more natural it becomes.

I want to encourage you this week to use journaling as a way to respond to this invitation from Jesus. Here are a couple of prompts to help you get started:

1. “Jesus, the honest longing deep in my heart today is…”(Share openly with Him.)

2. “One longing I've been hesitant to admit to You is…”(Jesus welcomes your honesty.)

Jesus is asking you right now, just as He asked others so long ago:

“What do you want me to do for you?”

He's inviting you out of hiding, asking you to be real, vulnerable, and authentic. Take time this week to respond, trusting that He's already waiting, ready to meet you right where you are.