SCRIPTURE: Mark 9
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
“’If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” [Mark 9:23-24]
I have often used these words myself, they describe how I often feel about my own weak faith.
This passage presents Jesus as a glorious messiah prepared to suffer and die.
I have an academic faith, I can say that I believe that Jesus is the Son of God, but in practice I seem to doubt what He can do, and I also resist doing what He calls me to do.
Though Jesus is gracious and patient, no doubt there are times when He sadly shakes His head at us, at me.
This passage shows the disciples quarrelling about position and power, instead of learning from Jesus about humility and sacrifice.
They want to challenge someone who does not belong to them.
Jesus pushes them to look inward, to consider their own commitment and the radical meaning of living for Jesus.
I do believe, but I am holding back, resisting, doubting.
Following Jesus demands humility, sacrifice, surrender, compassion, generosity, willingness to suffer in order to bless others.
This is the path Jesus walked, and this is the path He calls us to walk.
I do sense that following Jesus is much more radical, more demanding than typical christianity has characterized it.
But denouncing others is not where Jesus is leading me, He is pushing me to look inward as well.
“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
I have so much to grow, so much to learn, so much to do. I am stuck on worldly concerns (fear, reputation, success, pleasure) which is no different than the disciples quarrelling about position and power.
Jesus is calling me to deal with, to root out, the sources of unbelief and doubt.
He impresses on me how great He is (transfiguration), how gracious He is (self-sacrifice), and how He wants me to be (like a child, trusting, eager to root out sin and demonstrate grace).
These are the qualities that ought to characterize my life as a Jesus-follower.
Practically speaking, I sense the Spirit of Jesus gently pressing me to start acting on the radical side of christian living.
Stop talking about it, stop saying I believe it, start living it!
PRAYER:
Lord, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
JOY.
The JOY principle comes to mind with today’s reading. Jesus, Others, Yourself. That is the order of importance of the relationships we have from day to day. We ourselves are always in last place – serving those around us and that can only be accomplished with the power of Jesus within us. As we saw with the disciples arguing about position, so too, in the realities of life, I put my interests before others interests.
This then once again reminds me of the passage in Philippians 2 which talks about Christ’s humility – “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
And as the disciples were constantly taught by Jesus – He did not want others to know where they were because He was teaching His disciples – I too need to be taught time and time again by His Word to live this JOY principle also today. Today, God Is First as He needs to be every day.
All that I am I owe to Thee,
Thy wisdom, Lord, has fashioned me;
I give my Maker thankful praise,
Whose wondrous works my soul amaze.
Ere into being I was brought,
Thine eye did see, and in Thy thought
My life in all its perfect plan
Was ordered ere my days began.