Big Prayers

Big Prayers

Read: Mark 9:14-29

“‘If you can’?”

Mark 9:23

“Large asking and large expectation on our part honor God.”

—A. L. Stone

IN WORD Many times when we are confronted with an “impossible” situation, we tend to ask God to help alleviate the symptoms rather than to intervene in a mighty way. It’s as though we are afraid of asking too much. We just don’t see miracles that often, so we assume God isn’t interested in doing them. But to the contrary, according to the Bible, He is intensely interested in intervening in our situations. He is waiting for simple, believing, worshipful hearts.

Such was the case with the father whose son was possessed by a destructive spirit that “robbed him of speech” (v. 17). Everyone, including Jesus’ disciples, tried to help. No one could. What was Jesus’ response? Did He rebuke them for assuming too much from Him? No, He rebuked them for their unbelief (v. 19). When the father appealed to Jesus—“if you can do anything . . .”—Jesus finds the hint of uncertainty ludicrous. “‘If you can’?” He repeats incredulously. Of course He can. He’s God incarnate, the One by whom the father and the mute boy and the surrounding crowds were created. He is not limited by the situation itself in any way.

IN DEED Do our prayers also undermine Jesus’ mastery of a situation in our own minds? Do we also hint that He might not be able to do what we ask? that the circumstances might just be too overwhelming even for Him? Jesus would lovingly mock us as well with the same response: “‘If you can’?” Of course He can. His adequacy is not the question. And because no situation is bigger than He, neither is any prayer. Our requests should be huge. The issue for us is not whether He can, but knowing His will and His ways—and assuming the best of them.

Jesus really may answer our prayers exactly the way we expect Him to—or He may not. But He always stands ready to intervene in response to our belief. Never does He refuse a persistent, patient, trusting plea for His involvement. He is always willing. And He always can.