When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. "What are you arguing with them about?" he asked. A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not." "O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me." So 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. Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered. "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." " '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!" When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again." The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He's dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up. After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?" He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer." -Mark 9:14-29*
Jesus and some disciples had just come down from a mountain where they had seen Jesus transfigured! They had seen Moses and Elijah and had heard the voice of God! Down below, they found scribes arguing with one another and with the other disciples who were unable to heal a boy with a demon.
The disciples believed enough to leave everything to follow Jesus. The boy's father believed enough to bring him to Jesus and ask for healing. Yet, Jesus called them an unbelieving generation. Sometimes, I feel as if I am standing beside the boy's father saying, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
Sometimes I want to ask, "Jesus, can we go back up the mountain? This is too hard!" John 16:33, in The Message, says "I've told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I've conquered the world." Psalm 43:5 says, "Why are you downcast, oh my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." Jesus doesn't tell us to be at peace because he will take away every difficulty. Our peace, our hope, our belief, is in God, our Savior.
Dianna Bass is serving as president of United Methodist Women in Christ. Brad is the chair of the kitchen committee, plays in the praise band, is part of the tech crew and a member of the choir and Praise Team.
How has Jesus made a difference in your life? "God made a difference because I had a little bit of quarters, but when I went in the bathroom someone put quarters in my box my mom didn't then God did. That's how God made a difference." -Julian Aguilar, 3rd grade
*Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
