Mark 9:23

As I write this, I’m staring at a license plate that I had specially made. It says, “MK 9 23”, and it commemorates a time I learned this principle in a practical way at age 21. I came across this passage again in my Bible reading this week and was struck yet again with the truth from God’s Word: there are things in life that we cannot accomplish if we do if we do not pray.

What challenge do you need to take to God in prayer today? When 21, I had just been asked to bring a car to Brooklyn with me to serve as a Summer Intern working with teens. The ministry said that it would be necessary to get a car in order to lug the teens around to activities. That was a problem because:

1. I didn’t have a car.
2. I didn’t know that I needed a car.
3. I had $600 to my name.
4. I only had a week before I had to be there.

Yes, that was a problem. And yet, in my personal time with the Lord I had read Mark 9:23. “All things are possible to him who believes.”

In the passage in Mark 9, the Apostles tried to cast out a demon and were not able. Then Jesus stepped in. After Jesus cast the demon from the young man, they asked Him why they were powerless. Jesus answered:

“When He came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, ‘Why could we not drive it out?’ And He said to them, ‘This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer’” (Mark 9:28-29).

We are powerless in many cases if we are not praying over those cases. So, back to my little problem (comparatively). I couldn’t expect to see something accomplished just by trying. I had to pray.

I kept praying, and thought I better have others pray too. So, I went to prayer meeting that Wednesday night to ask others to pray. “Please pray that the Lord will provide a reliable car for me within a week. Oh, and it needs to be about $500.” As I shared that rather matter-of-factly, it surprised several people who burst out laughing. I didn’t think it was comical. But looking back on it, I guess I can see how it might have been funny. Still, the burst laugh didn’t seem like the appropriate response = )

I think the Lord delights to answer prayers that we pray when others laugh. He did answer that prayer. He provided a reliable Oldsmobile station wagon within a week. And, I loaded that thing all summer with more teens than a clown car. We putted all over the city that summer giving me a love for NYC that has yet to go away. And, in honor of the laughter, I named the Olds “Isaac” (Do you know why?).

On the other end of the car was a seller. She was a godly lady who said she was praying that she would be able to sell it and her husband would be surprised that she made the deal. I’m not sure he laughed, but I know she too, had prayed.

That was a great lesson for me. I couldn’t just pray, that’s true. I had to make calls, I had to pay. I had to put feet on my prayers. But all of those things were not good enough. I couldn’t just work. I had to pray. God delights to show His strength in areas where we have little more that we can do but pray. Take those matters to Him today as well.

What is it that is vexing you today? Let’s pray about it together! Until we have prayed, we really don’t have a good way forward in our own strength. So, let’s be devoted to prayer, brothers and sisters!