17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered. 22 “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.”
23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Mark 9:17-24
The man must have heard about the miracles Jesus had performed elsewhere. I’m certain he didn’t know He was the Son of God, the second person of the Blessed Trinity!
Even Jesus questioned his question as if to remark, “You really don’t know who I am, do you?” But then He softened it with the overused and misused phrase in the current western Christian lexicon “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Jesus actually gave the man authority to heal his son with that remark. Of course the man wouldn’t because he wouldn’t know how or he may not have believed that he could with his prayers.
Unfortunately, we are very much like this man. We come to God timid and unsure. Yes, we come humbly to the throne of God realizing that apart from Him, we are nothing. But we’re also His children. What parent doesn’t want what’s best for His kids? But even a meek child can ask for bold things. He may not get it, but it’s not because he didn’t ask. I’m not even talking about material things here.
Ask Him often for that wisdom because we need it.
Ask for miracles in your family’s lives.
Ask for healing for those loved ones.
Ask for grace to say the right things at the right times in life.
Ask Him to bring loved ones to the end of themselves so they can look.
These are bold requests, knowing that our God loves us and cares for us.
No “if you can” requests. Instead, “we really need you to” requests.