Good morning. The man who brought his son to Jesus was in the midst of a crisis that wouldn’t end. His son was being cast into seizures by an evil spirit. This had been happening for years, had only gotten worse, and now the father feared for his son’s life.
The man had asked some of Jesus disciples to help his son but they were unable to do so. This displeased the Lord, for He knew that it was only a lack of faith that had prevented them from helping. We pick up what was happening in Mark 9:21-24 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
Jesus catches the man’s doubt as he asks the Lord for help, But if you can do anything. Jesus responds, “If you can?” “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
For our thought today I would like to have us consider the way the man reacts to what Jesus had to say: “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
His first response is to tell the Lord that he does believe. Then, I think he must realize who he is talking to, and knows that lies, even what may seem like a harmless “little white lie” will not serve him with Jesus. He begs that the Lord help him to overcome his limited faith.
Is this a prayer that we need to bring to the Lord? Do we need Him to help us overcome our unbelief? We all have needs today. We all have needs and we would love to know that our Lord will help us with them.
In Sunday’s sermon message I made the statement, “God will only take you as far as your faith will let you go.” How often do we cry out to God to take us farther than our faith will go?
Perhaps our prayer today should be much like the man’s cry to Jesus “help me overcome my unbelief!” How do we expect the Lord to do that? Perhaps we should read and meditate upon the Word, especially focusing on the miracles of Jesus. Perhaps we should take time to reflect on all the ways God has been blessing us. Perhaps we should share, Christian to Christian, stories of God’s wonderful and gracious work in our lives. Perhaps we should pray with prayers of thanksgiving, prayers that recognize God’s love and give Him the glory He so richly deserves. Perhaps those exercises and more will serve to increase our faith so that we too will find, when the next crisis is upon us, that Jesus has helped us overcome any problems we may have been having with unbelief.
God bless your day,
Vern