Is God Willing AND Able?

“I am willing, be cleansed” – Matt 8:3

As a parent, there is few greater thrills than being able and willing to help your children.  You don’t do everything they ask you to do, but when their request is in line with their best interests, if gives you great pleasure to help them.  That is why Jesus uses this illustration as an appropriate one when thinking of coming to God in prayer.  What good parent does not want to do the right thing for their children?  In fulfilling the requests of our children, they have to know that we are both willing and able to accomplish their requests.  Sometimes we are able, but not willing.  Our willingness is usually centered around whether it is in their best interests.  Uh, playing on the freeway is not in their best interests.  Sometimes we are willing, but not able.  Many times it simply does not fit our ability to deliver or it is a practical nightmare like “Can I have a pony?”. 

It was very freeing to see that Jesus is both willing and able to help us.  In the story of the boy with that is demon possessed in Mark Chapter 9, we find that the disciples were unable to exorcise the demons from the boy.  The boy’s father, no doubt frustrated by their inability to handle the problem cases (they healed others), turns to Jesus and asks Him “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us”.  The word translated “can” there is a word that suggests he believed that Jesus lacked the power to be able to heal the boy.  Jesus clearly had the power, but the boy’s father did not ask directly, i.e. he lacked faith. 

Then something even greater happens.  The father cries out to help him in his lack of faith.  In essence, show compassion to me because my faith is simply too small.  Enlarge my faith.  Jesus is willing, he is certainly able, and he even elevates our faith through His compassion.  Do we cry out?  Do we reach our wits end?  Paul writes when we are faithless, God remains faithful.  Do we know how to pray effectively? God prays for us (Rom 8:26).   

My faith is much smaller than the mustard seed because the mustard seed would get the tree tossed in the ocean (Luke 17:6).  While faith is a trait that we must possess, it is a gift that God amply supplies.  And he is willing and able to help that as well.