20So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
21Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?"
"From childhood," he answered. 22"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."
23" 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
24Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Daily QT: 09/162007 Mark 9:20-24
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3 comments:
I'm struggling right now, because my belief in God is not penetrating through to my heart. If I truly BELIEVED the gospel, I would be changed. I remember a time when I truly believed in God, carried him in my heart and mind always - and I know that I was different then. I will have to carry this father's prayers with me and repeat them sincerely, because it is only through the Grace of God that any of us can overcome our "unbelief." (interesting, unbelief not disbelief).
I know that God sometimes grabs people like a lightning bolt (like Moses and Paul) - but I think that for most people, we have to sincerely seek Him in order to find him. It's that meeting of free will and holy grace. We have to willfully try to reach him - like salmon trying to swim up an infinitely tall waterfall - and God will have mercy. He will reach down and lift our battered bodies. He will carry us to him. He will carry us home.
Oh how much I love what that father said. "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" I do unfortunately use this in my prayer from time to time. Although I believe, I do have my doubts due to my narrow human mind but we should always remember that God has chosen us and out of his grace saved us all.
We'll continue to pray for each other so that all of us will one day have total trust in him with our hearts and mind.
I too am like this father. This symptom of unbelief is altogether too familiar in my life. Yet, it is not in the doubts and unbeliefs that I yam doomed, but in the faith, despite my feelings and emotions, that God works for the good of those who believe and trust in Him. "Everything is possible for him who believes." Hope and trust in God today. Amen.
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