ANOTHER DADDY’S PRAYER

“Lord … have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and suffers terribly” (Matthew 17:15). “I beg you to look at my son, because he’s my only child… he shrieks, and it throws him into convulsions until he foams at the mouth; severely bruising him, it scarcely ever leaves him” (Luke 9:38-39). He’s often “unable to speak … it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid” (Mark 9:17-18).

A brokenhearted daddy begged Jesus to touch his only child. His prayer is passionate, urgent, earnest. He begs, beseeches, pleads. As the distraught father “knelt down before” Jesus, be begged, “Lord … have mercy’ ” (Matthew 17:14-15).

As if on cue, the boy began to convulse, thrashing violently. “He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth” (Mark 9:20). As the growing crowd watched in horror, Jesus spoke directly to the heart-sick daddy. “ ‘How long has this been happening to him?’ … ‘From childhood,’ he said. ‘And many times it has thrown him into fire or water to destroy him.’ ” (Mark 9:21-22).

As the frantic father spoke, he wanted to believe that Jesus was able to rescue his son from sickness, bondage, shame. “If you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us! (Mark 9:22)

Jesus’ retort came quickly. “If you can’? Everything is possible for the one who believes”

(Mark 9:23). “If I can? What do you mean, if I can? I hung the stars in space. I created everything from nothing. I created every fiber of his being, and I know how to fix it! Of course I can!” It is here that the daddy prayed the right prayer. “I do believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24).

Do we believe? Can He answer your greatest needs? Of course He can! Do we need to pray that God would help and heal our unbelief?

“Lord … have mercy!”

“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).