If You Can
I have had to ask others for help along the way of life. I’ve also been asked to help others along the way too. I’ve been asked for some very challenging help – sometimes I’m simply not qualified to help. At other times, I’ve been asked for help and it’s a question of time commitment. I appreciate people who asked things of me with respect to my time and resources. I do enjoy helping others when and if I can.
Jesus had just come down from the mountain of transfiguration and noticed a crowd had gathered. A young boy needed healing and the disciples tried but couldn’t do it. There were a lot of teaching moments from this story, and I really identified with the dad in the story. Check this out….
20 So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.
21 “How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father.
He replied, “Since he was a little boy. 22 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.”
23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”
24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”
25 When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!”
26 Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, “He’s dead.”27 But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up. (Mark 9:20-27 NLT)
I understand doubt.
I understand faith.
I am growing in my faith and as I feed my faith, the doubts starve. I don’t think my doubts ever go completely away. The longer I walk in faith, the more my faith grows and crowds out the doubt. I need reminding of Jesus’ response to this man’s humanity and lack of faith. There is nothing a parent won’t do to save and protect their child, but this man was helpless until He met Jesus. Jesus not only saved the boy, He saved the Dad. I can only imagine what the rest of that young man’s life was like. There were witnesses to how sick he was, but now he’s completely well.
I’m spending time with the Lord this morning to help grow my faith and push doubt away. I believe in God and I need His help to put my doubt and unbelief in its place.
Pressing On!
Dwayne