16 May 2016 - heal my unbelief

[ Today's Readings ]

But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.

How often do we come to Jesus with prayers like this. It is one thing to not presume upon God's mercy. It is another to doubt his power.

Jesus said to him,
“‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.”
Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!”

We must not doubt his power.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways (see James 1:5-8).

And we must come to believe in the love he has for us.

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us (see First John 4:16).

Yet we have such trouble believing this. God sometimes doesn't do things we wish he'd do. Perhaps we asked something that was not according to his will. Or perhaps we asked for something that was in his will but were full of doubt when we asked. And perhaps we did not receive. Faith points us toward a more full appreciation of his power and willingness to act in the world. It also points us toward a more complete surrender to the will of the one who loved us first. It shows us the ulterior motives we have even for the good things we ask. How does it do this? We try to pray for those things which God also wants. But we find out how poorly we do this. We find out how selfish we actually are.

Wisdom of this kind does not come down from above
but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist,
there is disorder and every foul practice.

But as we continue to come back to God and to prayer he gives us his wisdom. He helps us to know what his will truly is. He helps us to ask for that in prayer believing completely that he will bring it about.

Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!”

May we come to believe as well. May we realize and bring our unbelief before the LORD so that he can give us the faith and the wisdom to heal it.

Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart
find favor before you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.