If I could have anything I wanted, what would I ask for?

This was A Confederate soldier's prayer, by an unknown Confederate soldier during the American Civil War:

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve;
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.

I asked for health, that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.


I asked for riches, that I might be happy;
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.


I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.


I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life;
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.


I got nothing that I asked for, but everything I hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.


I am among all men most richly blessed. 

What would I ask for, if God were to give me anything I wanted? Would I want to be healthy, wealthy or wise?

To be healthy?
Health is good soil for cultivating ingratitude, taking for granted that our bodies work well.
Health brings ease and comfort. Ease and comfort sometimes makes it difficult to understand those whose lives are full of dis-ease and dis-comfort.
The search for good health can consume our thoughts and attitudes and all our worldly endeavours.

To be rich? 
Wealth brings opportunity.Opportunity to be generous. Opportunity to be selfish.
Wealth brings responsibility. Responsibility to use it wisely and generously, not selfishly.
Wealth brings relationship difficulties: with those who seek relationship because they, too, want to share in the wealth or want it for themselves.
And it brings barriers between those who have, and those who have not, colouring their common humanity.

To be wise?
Wisdom can bring about great good for us and others.
Wisdom can avert many a potential disaster, guide us into good living, mend broken, damaged relationships, restore fortunes.
Wisdom is GOOD.
But wisdom without humility brings a lust for power, a longing for money, desires which lead to utter selfishness.

No. 

I would ask for contentment. To be so utterly content in the moment that dissatisfaction or unease would be strangers to my soul.

Obtaining health for our bodies

Proverbs 3:5 - 12

Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he's the one who will keep you on track.
Don't assume that you know it all.
Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
your very bones will vibrate with life!Honor God with everything you own;
give him the first and the best.
Your barns will burst,
your wine vats will brim over.
But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline;
don't sulk under his loving correction.
It's the child he loves that God corrects;
a father's delight is behind all this.

Proverbs 4 (20 - 22)also says:

Dear friend, listen well to my words;
tune your ears to my voice.
Keep my message in plain view at all times.
Concentrate! Learn it by heart!
Those who discover these words live, really live;
body and soul, they're bursting with health.

Listen!

Physical benefits:

A different take on The Body today.
Mine.

Wonderful to think that, in the midst of a hectic and occasionally stressy life, it is not just my soul which benefits from my trust in Jesus. My body does too:

This is what Psalm 16:8-10, NIV says:
I have set the LORD always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
because you will not abandon me to the grave, [a]
nor will you let your Holy One [b] see decay.

I liked the Message version as well...
The wise counsel God gives when I'm awake is confirmed by my sleeping heart.
Day and night I'll stick with God; I've got a good thing going and I'm not letting go.

I'm happy from the inside out, and from the outside in, I'm firmly formed.
You canceled my ticket to hell — that's not my destination!