Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©
"'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for one who believes."
(Mark 9:23 (NIV))
How many people read this passage and miss the fact that Jesus was replying to a request from a father about his son? The father had explained what was happening to his son and appears to have been at the end of his proverbial rope. The disciples couldn't help him. It sounds like he saw Jesus as his last hope, and as such, he ended up by saying the following.
But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.
(Mark 9:22b (NIV))
At first read, I unintentionally put my sinful human nature into Jesus' response and read the "'If you can'?" part sarcastically as if Jesus was saying don't you know who I am? Then I realized that I was reading those words as how I would have reacted. This is not how Jesus would react.
How do you think that Jesus said these words?
"'If you can'?"
All that we have is the written transcript. We don't know the tone of delivery or the body language that went with it. Was there compassion and love? Was there sympathy and understanding? Was there grace and mercy? I can envision all of these and more conveyed by Jesus in His reply, and when you consider the father's reaction to the words spoken by Jesus, you quickly understand that these simple words penetrated his heart.
Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
(Mark 9:24 (NIV))
That should be the prayer of everyone who professes a faith in Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. If everything is possible for one who believes, then Lord, help me overcome my unbelief!
What is possible for you?
Copyright 1998 - 2021 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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