Mr. Twain is supposed to have said, “It ain’t those parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.”
I found that quote after reading a few of MT’s other views on the Bible and church that lead me to believe that there are maybe a few other differences between us than the one I had in mind. Well, that, and the fact that he had a super-cool writer name, and a sweet mustache.
Anyway, something I read this morning has been rumbling around in my head all day. I’ve read it lots of times before, and I still don’t think I get it. Mark 11, tucked in there right between Jesus laying the smack down on a fig tree and laying the smack down on the religious leaders, Jesus tells his followers:
I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.
And there it is. No sub-clause about wanting only good things. No “if it’s my will…” No disclaimers.
I’ve always hedged when teaching about prayer, and when praying. I think I pray like I need to give God an out, like I need to cover for him if he doesn’t come through.
Something like this promise should affect the way that I pray, the way that I believe. I don’t think that it gives me the green light to pray all kinds of selfish/self-serving prayers, but I’m feeling myself stretched in the old theology department.
So how about you? Where are you being stretched? What are you reading that upsets your apple cart?
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