Willing And Able

Willing and Able

Read: Mark 9:17-27

A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!”

Mark 1:40-41

“If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

Mark 9:22-23

“Birds lack faith. They fly away when I enter the orchard, though I mean them no ill. Even so do we lack faith in God.”

—Martin Luther

IN WORD When we pray, we know in our minds that God is limited neither in His power nor love; yet in our hearts, we question both. How did Jesus respond to such questions? To the leper who said “If you are willing,” Jesus affirmed His willingness. To the father who said “If you can,” Jesus affirmed His power, especially when it was invoked in faith.

Haven’t those questions been the cry of this world against “the problem of evil”? In light of all the suffering in the world, the great philosophers say that God is either able to help and not willing, or willing to help and not able. Jesus will have none of that argument. The problem is not with God’s power and it is not with His love; it is with our faith.

IN DEED When God doesn’t resolve a situation to our liking, especially a situation in which the suffering is great, we are tempted to accuse Him of either impotence or negligence. And Jesus’ response tells us to look within.

Unanswered prayer is a call to come closer, look deeper, know God better, and seek His will further. It is a call to be transformed as a disciple and to be conformed to the image of Christ. By such the Father separates those who desire to test Him from those who desire to know Him.