Honest Prayers

Life is full of ups and downs.

I think we all can agree on this point. Who does not love this. In fact, take a quick moment to recall one of your recent mountaintop experiences. Also, if you would like take a moment to remember a valley moment in life.

Following Jesus does not take away the ups and downs.

Sometimes we can think, feel, and believe that if we come to Jesus our path will now be smooth and straight. Yet, as we continue in the Gospel of Mark we see this is far from the truth. The reality is sometimes because we are following Jesus we have the ups and downs, twists and turns of life.

John 10:10 NIV

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Life as it was meant to live.

What kind of faith moves Jesus?

This is what we are asking this morning. My guess is your brain has already come up with thoughts and images of the titans of the faith. Mark is trying to highlight the answer to this question in the Gospel we are studying.

We can get sidelined in our faith.

Notice the context of what is going on. The 10 other disciples plus are in an argument with the teachers of the Law about presumably how to best heal the demon possessed, or why it was not possible for them to do so.

Jesus engages the person not the issue.

What was getting sidelined in the debate, probably a necessary debate, was a real person was hurting and desperate and in the midst of a crisis.

Who/what do we focus on when we fail and things go from bad to worse?

A faith which will move Jesus is one that will turn the focus on him. Notice the father is keeping the focus on Jesus.

A faith that moves Jesus is honest.

Read verse 22-24. I wonder if sometimes we forget that we do not have to have it exactly right in order for God to show up and show off. Jesus says that faith in him will allow the power of God to move through this world.

Faith produces resurrection.

The wording used in verse 27 is that of resurrection. Jesus took him by the hand and raised him and he was risen.

Faith the moves Jesus is dependent on Him.

The disciples realized they had failed are willing to move into Jesus and ask the needed question, “why could we do this?” The issue was, it seems, that they were thinking they could just do it without needing prayer or dependance on Jesus. Maybe this was because they had success before. Maybe it was they took for granted their encounter with Jesus. Maybe it was they just forgot.

Prayer moves and reveals Jesus.

Many of us don’t pray because of many reasons.