If You Will, You Can

IF YOU WILL

A leper came to Jesus on his knees and begging "If you will, You are able to make me clean."

If you will, you can.

The leper did not question Jesus's ability, only submitted to His will.

Jesus is moved with pity and sympathy, he reaches out his hand to touch him.

I can imagine the sudden shock and gasp of those around him as it dawns on them what Jesus is about to do.

No one touches a leper!

But Jesus does, and simply says

"I will, be made clean." and all at once the leprosy is gone!

Mark 1:40-41

IF YOU CAN

"If you can do anything," says the father of a child, possessed by such an awful demon that it would throw the boy into convulsions and cause him to foam at the mouth.

"If you can do anything," he says, "have pity on us".

Jesus replies, "If?, you say to me, "if"?

I'm indignant for Jesus, that is, until I recognize my own tendency to doubt.

"All things are possible to him who believes", He says.

The father lets out a piercing cry and shrieks the words that describe my own teetering faith, but give me hope as well.

"Lord I believe! Help my unbelief!"

Mark 9:22-24

I believe, but yet I don't.

Lord, I need your help to believe.

Lord, I need You in order to believe!

The leper believes in Jesus's power, but appeals to His will.

Jesus is moved with compassion.

The father doubts Jesus's power, but appeals to His compassion.

In the end, the father can only declare his helplessness to believe.

What does my faith declare? Does it declare belief in God's power, submission to His will, total abandonment on His mercy?