Faith And Humility In Prayer
“While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell facedown and begged Him, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Luke 5:12
This man revealed his faith through his prayer. He had no doubt at all about the ability of Jesus to heal him. The only question in his mind was whether he would be willing to do it.
He thought there might be some reason why the Lord would not wish to grant his request. His singular desire and request was to have the terrible leprosy taken away from him. He acknowledged that Jesus could do it if he chose to and if he thought it best that it should be removed.
We can see not only his faith in that prayer but we also see his humility.
In essence, he was saying, Lord, I greatly desire that I be healed of this leprosy, I know that you can do it, but Lord, not my will, but yours be done.
His prayer was not for a spiritual need but for a physical blessing, and the truth is that when it comes to physical needs we never can know what really is best for us. A mother may bend over a dying child and plead with an affectionate yearning for life and healing. God will never blame her for the agonizing persistence of her pleas, yet she cannot not pray wilfully. She needs to end her most intense pleading with the submission caught from Gethsemane, “Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.” It may not be the best blessing to her or to her home to have her child spared. This is hard, yet, it’s the lesson from scripture.
A man may be threatened with loss of property or livelihood and he turns to Jesus for help. “If thou will Lord, you can deliver me from this terrible loss.” Yes, he can, there is no doubt about that. But will he?
He definitely will if it is best, for he works out everything for our good. Will it be a blessing to have this loss averted? You really cannot tell. Maybe it is necessary for him to suffer this misfortune in his temporal estate, that he may not lose his inheritance in heaven. We don’t know exactly.
Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” is an example. He wanted it removed; but no, it was necessary to keep him from spiritual pride, from being exalted above measure. Prayer should be submissive as well as earnest. We do not know what we should pray for, nor if what we desire would really bless us.
“Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Luke 22:42