May
19
“Help My Unbelief”
May 19, 2008 |
Today’s gospel from Mark 9 is packed. It’s the story of when Jesus, Peter, James & John came down from the mountain after the Transfiguration. The disciples left at the bottom of the mountain had been unsuccessfully trying to rid a young boy of a demon. Of course, it didn’t take long for Christ to do what had escaped the disciples.
And in the story are several great exchanges.
When told that the disciples could not drive out the demons, Jesus tells the crowd gathered that “O faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you? Bring him to me.”
Later, the father of the boy responds to Jesus when asked whether he had faith - “I do believe, help my unbelief!”
After driving out the demons, Jesus responds to the disciples who are inquiring as to why they couldn’t drive out the demons - “This kind can only come out through prayer.”
So, let’s ask ourselves several questions today -
Are we a faithless generation? How long will Jesus endure us? Are we bringing ourselves and others to him? Do we truly believe? Do we truly pray?
We go through so much in life. We struggle with our own demons. We face a world that is so fraught with uncertainty and danger that we must get up each morning and renew our faith in God or be swept under by the currents of the modern world. We need to start off each day with prayer and continue this prayer throughout the day. And we do so knowing that even though we may screw up each and every day, Jesus will always endure us - as long as we believe and strive to bring ourselves and others to Christ.
And we need to continually utter the prayer of the boy’s father - “Christ, I do believe. Help my unbelief.” For it is in this prayer that we grasp a hold of our salvation and strength.
