Prayer is at times difficult and hard. While at times we yearn for it, we also hide from it. Prayer is in many ways the battle. Prayer is, however, bathed in grace and love. God hears us not because of our earnest efforts, but because of nail-pierced hands that pray on our behalf. In prayer we are not trying to overcome God’s reluctance; we are taking hold of His willingness. We dare not make prayer about us. It is about Him, not me. 

As a way of illustrating this, take a look at Mark 9:14-32. Jesus has just come down from the Mount of Transfiguration. Immediately, he is faced with a problem. A man is asking His disciples to cast out a demon from his son. The boy is thrashing about and foaming at the mouth. Can you imagine how chaotic this moment must have been? The disciples had been unable to cast out the evil spirit. In regard to that, Jesus is later asked why the disciples could not cast the spirit out. He said, “This kind can come out only by prayer” (v. 29). 

So the boy’s father approaches Jesus and says, “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” (v. 22). Listen to what follows: “‘If you can?’ said Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for him who believes.’ Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’”(vv. 23-24). 

The prayer of the boy’s dad is not what one would call a classic prayer. It is simple. It is honest. It is childlike. “I believe, help me overcome my unbelief!” That sounds like a prayer that I have offered many times. Jesus responded to the man, not because of his great prayer, but because of Jesus’ great love. 

 I have come to believe that just as we are so apt to think that salvation is in some way tied to our efforts, we are also prone to think that prayer is about us getting it down right. Maybe we hide from prayer because of this inner need to have everything just right. We look to get our faith up to a certain level or our life in order before we pray. These things are important, but we are starting from the wrong end. It is about Him, not us. Who is He? What has He promised? 

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Helping people live life with Jesus everyday,

Rev. Dr. Brent L Parrish