We use the word if many times each day.  If I get to it, then I’ll do it.  If you do this then I can do that.  If food is bought a meal can be made.  If money comes in then bills can be paid.  If becomes a bargaining chip and is a weak prayer that all will be well if… 

We are all ‘iffers.” Admit it.  We need more confidence in the One with whom we believe and commune with daily.

Here is the story of a loving parent who cares for his son who has truly debilitating problems that affect the quality of life for both father and son.  The boy’s issues keep the father on high alert for his son who could hurt himself at any time, day or night.  Demons have also taken over the boy with the goal of ending his life tragically.  This parent must be tired, stressed, and full of constant worry.  Then he hears of a healer with followers who might be of help to his son.  He takes the boy to him but only a few disciples are there.

This father is in dire need so he turns to the disciples. The disciples go through the motions they think Jesus would do but healing does not happen.  And the father’s prayer over the years of watching over his boy hasn’t been with much confidence, but the answer is, and the result reminds us:

The power is not in the prayer; it’s in the One who hears it.

The father of this boy prayed out of desperation. His son was deaf with epileptic seizures, and demon-possessed since childhood.  This evil spirit prodded the boy to throw himself into fires and water to harm himself.  Imagine the pain of the father who watched his boy go through this daily. While other boys run and play, his boy suffers greatly.  While others were teaching their sons an occupation, he was just trying to keep his son alive. He was desperate and tired, and his prayer reflects both;

“If you can do anything, do it. Have a heart and help us!”

How many times has the if word slipped into our prayers of desperation? 

Mark 9, The Message

There Are No Ifs

^14-16 When they came back down the mountain to the other disciples, they saw a huge crowd around them, and the religion scholars cross-examining them. As soon as the people in the crowd saw Jesus, admiring excitement stirred them. They ran and greeted him. He asked, “What’s going on? What’s all the commotion?”

^17-18 A man out of the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought my mute son, made speechless by a demon, to you. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and goes stiff as a board. I told your disciples, hoping they could deliver him, but they couldn’t.”

^19-20 Jesus said, “What a generation! No sense of God! How many times do I have to go over these things? How much longer do I have to put up with this? Bring the boy here.” They brought him. When the demon saw Jesus, it threw the boy into a seizure, causing him to writhe on the ground and foam at the mouth.

^21-22 He asked the boy’s father, “How long has this been going on?”

“Ever since he was a little boy. Many times it pitches him into fire or the river to do away with him. If you can do anything, do it. Have a heart and help us!”

²³ Jesus said, “If? There are no ‘ifs’ among believers. Anything can happen.”

²⁴ No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the father cried, “Then I believe. Help me with my doubts!”

^25-27 Seeing that the crowd was forming fast, Jesus gave the vile spirit its marching orders: “Dumb and deaf spirit, I command you—Out of him, and stay out!” Screaming, and with much thrashing about, it left. The boy was pale as a corpse, so people started saying, “He’s dead.” But Jesus, taking his hand, raised him. The boy stood up.

²⁸ After arriving back home, his disciples cornered Jesus and asked, “Why couldn’t we throw the demon out?”

²⁹ He answered, “There is no way to get rid of this kind of demon except by prayer.”

^30-32 Leaving there, they went through Galilee. He didn’t want anyone to know their whereabouts, for he wanted to teach his disciples. He told them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed to some people who want nothing to do with God. They will murder him. Three days after his murder, he will rise, alive.” They didn’t know what he was talking about, but were afraid to ask him about it.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God is God.  We are not God.  We all worry over that which we cannot fix which leads to our doubts.  Yes, this is not the best way to think but we go there when stressed.  However, God knows us well.  God created us.  He knows exactly what we need when we need it.  Jesus’ lesson on using the word “if” when asking for help teaches not only the man with his son but also informs his disciples around him as well as the crowd looking on who are wondering what will happen next! 

But take heart!  This is only the beginning of teaching all of us to pray with confidence minus the doubts of “if;” taught by Jesus himself to those who want to grow in our faith!

Max Lucado writes;

“One word would have made a lot of difference. Instead of if, what if he’d said since? “Since you can do anything for him, please have pity on us and help us.” But that’s not what he said. He said if. The Greek is even more emphatic. The tense implies doubt. It’s as if the man were saying, “This one’s probably out of your league, but if you can . . .”  More meek than might. More timid than towering. More like a crippled lamb coming to a shepherd than a proud lion roaring in the jungle. If his prayer sounds like yours, then don’t be discouraged, for that’s where prayer begins.  It begins as a yearning. An honest appeal. Ordinary people staring at Mount Everest. No pretense. No boasting. No posturing. Just prayer. Feeble prayer, but prayer nonetheless.” 

At first read, we may only notice Jesus’ reprimand and miss the lesson of trust and assurance.  Though the man used the word if—Jesus healed his son.  Though the disciples didn’t heal the son, Jesus continued to teach them because of his love for them.  Everyone watching saw the power of the One to whom our prayers are directed.  Jesus teaches a different way of talking to God with confidence.  Lesson learned.

“Then I believe. Help me with my doubts!”  Maybe we should add this cry for help to our feeble prayers caused by desperation.

And remember— The power is not in the prayer; it’s in the One who hears it.

Avoid going through the motions of others who we have watched pray.  Avoid wondering if we are saying it right.  Have the confidence to know that God hears and looks at the heart of the one talking to Him with knowing what we really need and delivers us.

Since you know, Lord, we believe in what you think is best! 

One word changes our perspective.  Praying in Jesus Name, trusting He hears us, changes everything!

Lord,

Hallowed is your Name.  May Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

In Jesus Name,  Amen