Reading: Mark 8-9
And He asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if Thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief(Mark 9:21-24).
What is faith? While on the surface, this seems to be a simple, straightforward question, it is one that many of us still struggle to answer with any degree of coherency. Faith is not, as some suppose, simply a belief in God. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble (James 2:19). Faith is bestowed by God in recognition of our belief and trust in Him (Acts 3:16; Rom. 12:3; Eph. 2:8; Phil. 1:29; II Pet. 1:1). It is not something that we can just ‘decide’ to have, but it is something that God has promised to make available to all who sincerely seek it. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Rom. 10:17). For those who do, it is a gift freely given, and it forms the cornerstone of our relationship with Christ. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast (Eph. 2:8-9).
The desperation of the afflicted child’s father as he approached Jesus was evident for all to see. His son had been suffering for many years, and until now, he had been powerless to do anything about it. After hearing of the miracles performed by Jesus and His disciples, he brought his son to them, seeking relief. Yet when he arrived, Jesus was not there, and the disciples were unable to help him. They had tried in vain to cast out the evil spirit, and ultimately, they had determined they were not strong enough to do so. By the time Jesus returned, the father had become despondent. He recognized the fact that Jesus was his last hope, but he lacked the conviction of faith. He fervently wanted Jesus to be able to save his son, but he didn't 100 % know that He could do so.
As imperfect children of God, we have likely found ourselves in this situation more times than we feel comfortable admitting. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1). Not only can we not obtain faith on our own, but it is also impossible for us to maintain it without regular infusions of God’s grace. When confusion and doubt creep in, we must turn to God. Even though He is the very one we are doubting, He is the only one capable of helping us sort things out. To strengthen our faith, we must turn our fears and concerns over to Him. When we doubt, we must pray as this desperate father prayed: Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief. He is the only one who can.
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness (Is. 41:10).
Thought for Today: The stronger our faith, the fewer questions we have for God. Not because we know all the answers but because we trust Him enough that we don’t need them.
Cross Reference: For Mark 8:18: See Ezek. 12:2. Mark 9:44,46,48: See Is. 66:24.
Word Studies: 9:3 fuller . . . can white them = launderer can bleach them; 9:12 set at nought = rejected; 9:13 whatsoever they listed = whatever they wanted; 9:45 halt = crippled.
Prayer for Government Officials:Rep. Andre Carson (IN) • Country: Ecuador (15,654,411) South America • Major Language: Spanish • Religious Freedom • 95% Roman Catholic; 5% Other • Prayer Suggestion: In times of trouble, pray and seek comfort in the Word of God (Ps. 119:50).