The Reality of Transparent Prayers

I was reading from Mark today.  And I was struck by something in Mk 9:14-32, I thought that I needed to share this with anyone who will listen.

I may have discovered my favorite story in the Gospels today.  This amazes me and gives me such strength to approach Jesus in prayer.  It's just beautiful.

The short version of this is that Jesus is coming down from the mountain after being transfigured before Peter, James, and John.  The four of them enter a city where the other 9 disciples are.  They find the disciples and teachers of the law arguing.  Why? Because the disciples had tried to cast out a demon from a boy and failed.

So, Jesus comes in and critiques the disciples' actions.  Then, the boy's demon manifests and instead of going to cast the demon out immediately, Jesus turns to the boy's father.

And it's the interaction between Jesus and the father in verses 22 - 27 that struck me today.

 22"It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."

 23" 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."

 24Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

 25When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."

 26The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He's dead." 27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

In verse 22, the father's request makes it clear that he is at his wit's end.  After watching his son be thrown into water and fires for years and years, he's desperate.  So, he's heard that a miracle worker is in town and goes praying for his son to be delivered, I'm sure.

You can just see the anguish on his face.  He went to Jesus' disciples, and they couldn't help.  Not only that, but instead of continuing to pray for the boy, they get into an argument with teachers of the law!

So, as he walks up to the God-Man, he must be thinking that Jesus is his last hope.  So, he asks, "If you can do ANYTHING, please, help us."

And I just love Jesus' response "'IF You can'?" ... "Everything is possible for those who believe."

• First, Jesus starts by saying, "Oh please. Do you even realize who you're talking to?!?" I love to think about the fact that Jesus is the only Man who could say something like that without even a hint of pride.  It's all said in complete humility, with the understanding that He can only due what His Father has told Him to do.
• Second, Jesus moves on.  And as He begins to restore hope in this poor man, He also begins to encourage everyone (including us) that ANYTHING is possible for those who believe in the power and faithfulness of Jesus Christ.

Next, the father responds.  And with that tiny ember of hope that Jesus has gently stoked with His words, I'm sure the father must have screamed out his next plea. "I DO believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

• Please take note, this prayer actually makes no sense.  How can you believe and not believe at the same time?
• In complete honesty, this man pours his heart out before the Lamb.  He believes, but like everyone of us, it's not a perfect and solidified belief.  It's something... in between.  However, ladies and gentlemen, this may be THE most transparent prayer in the Bible.
• And how beautiful for us that Mark recorded this!  This father cries out for help in his absolute weakness. "Son of God, HELP MY SON!"

But, I think we learn the most about the character of the Triune God from Jesus' next response.

He turns to the boy, casts the demon out, and tells it never to return.  HE CAME TO THE RESCUE!

• Jesus DIDN'T mock the father for his weakness or his unbelief.
• Jesus DIDN'T say, "Nope.  Sorry.  You don't truly believe in who I am or what I can do.  That's just not going to cut it."
• Jesus DIDN'T partially cast out the demon in proportion to the father's partial belief.

No, Jesus did what I see as the most unthinkable... He took the father's shaken and crumbling belief, his faithless shard of hope, and was stirred to action.  He completely healed the boy!

Where I get lost in this story is the fact that we see one of the most relatable characters in the Gospels... the father.  And in a moment of weakness that is all too familiar, he cries out for help, in a tremendously pathetic fashion.

Oh, what hope rises up within me! I've said countless times that I believe Him, that I trust Him, that I love Him...  And all the while, there's been that subtle accusation in my heart that says that if He were to ever find out that I don't completely mean those things I've said, He's going to turn to me and say, "Joe, it's cut and dry.  Either you mean it or you don't.  And I won't move until you really do mean it."

But, and this is where my spirit is stirred, Mark tells us that it doesn't work that way!  Jesus is moved to action on our weakest, most pitiful prayers.  Never distinguishing between full- and half-faiths.

All of this is truly where our hope lies.  In our weakest, most nonsensical prayers, Jesus responds and comes to our aid COMPLETELY.

I PRAISE YOU, JESUS!

FOR THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU!