Boy, did I relate to the hurting father described in today’s reading from the One-Year Bible.
In Mark 9, a dad brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus’ disciples so that the boy could be delivered from the spiritual and physical torment that certainly also traumatized the family’s life.
Jesus was absent when the father and son met the disciples but He arrived before the father and son left.
There was a crowd surrounding the disciples and apparently a lot of yelling and finger-pointing because the disciples had failed in their efforts to deliver the boy from demonic possession.
When the crowd saw Jesus returning from His Mount of Transfiguration experience, they abandoned the disciples and immediately ran to Jesus.
In the crowd was the father who said this in vv. 17-18:
“One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, ‘Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.'”
Jesus’ response?
Frustration with the lack of faith among His disciples and the crowd in general.
Yet, His grace and desire to demonstrate sovereignty over evil prompted Jesus to action.
He asked the dad to bring the boy to Him. Soon, the boy was writhing on the ground in front of Jesus as the demon tormented him.
“How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, “Since he was a little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”
“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?’Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”
“The father instantly cried out, ‘I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!’”
Perhaps you realize, as do I, that we too often put qualifiers on our prayers that limit the success of our prayers.
How many times have we asked God for help and yet had hidden doubts that His intervention could make any difference?
Perhaps with a rocky marriage. Perhaps with a stubborn health crisis. Perhaps with a prodigal child.
We see the prayers of others and ourselves and the lack of a desired success ratio and we’re tempted to think God “can’t” do what we need.
The father in this story wisely saw that the problem was his faith, not Christ’s capacity.
There are a number of matters in my corner of the world that I believe need the intercession of God’s power.
The problem isn’t with God’s capacity, but with my unbelief.
Please join me in more often praying, “Please, Lord, help me overcome my unbelief.”
All of our lives will be better off.
That’s what happened for the boy delivered from the demon (v. 26) and for the dad whose faith brought the boy to the only One who could help.
As always, I love you
Martin
