Tag Archives: Trust

Day Thirty-Three with Mark: Mark 8:22-26

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Today in Mark we look at Mark 8:22-26:

Jesus Cures a Blind Man at Bethsaida
22 They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Can you see anything?” 24 And the man looked up and said, “I can see people, but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 Then he sent him away to his home, saying, “Do not even go into the village.”

This is the second time we see Jesus heal someone by using spit or saliva.  We talked a good bit in the day about why Jesus chose to use saliva as an instrument of healing.  I think there is much to be said about the notion of Jesus using “modern” understandings of medicine for other’s benefit as well the notion that He is showing illness and disease who is really in control.

But here is the thing that is significant about this text to me.  Notice Jesus takes the man out of town to heal him and then after the healing tells him to not even go back into the town.  Why?  Why did Jesus do this great act in private?  Many of His other miracles, particularly early in His ministry were done in public so everyone could see.

Now, this is in private with the express directions to not ever go into town and tell others.  Why?

Imperial-Crown-IndiaWell, the people of Jesus day were looking for a Messiah. They were looking for a savior. They were looking for a King from the line of David.  In fact at times some people will even call Him the Son of David.  What is happening here is they are saying yes, you are the one that is to come from David’s line.

You will be a king just like David!

And for the people, David was the greatest earthly king the people had ever had.  He was it.  He was the icon of what a king should be.  All other kings would measure up against him.  And when that promised king from David’s line would come, he would drive out their oppressors.  He would restore the fortunes of Israel and make them great again.

He would restore the kingdom.

But, as Jesus tells us, His kingdom is not of this world.  Yes, He is a king, but it is not of an earthly kingdom.  It is a heavenly kingdom.

So why did Jesus do this in private and tell others not to tell.  Because they didn’t understand the kingdom Jesus was going to bring.  So He did these healings in secret.  He did them in private.  Because they didn’t understand the kingdom Jesus was coming to bring.

We will see tomorrow, that even His closest disciples didn’t get it just yet.

So, when I read these stories, the question I always have to ask myself is this. What do I do when Jesus isn’t what I expect Him to be?  What do I do when Jesus’ plan, His will, His purpose aren’t what I would have done myself?

Do I buck Him?  Or do I trust?  That’s always the question.  What do we do when Jesus doesn’t do what we expect.

Today, and each day, may we learn to trust.

Tomorrow we’ll look at Mark 8:27-38.

What questions do you have?  How does this strike you?  Shoot me an email, comment below, or connect with me through social media.

If you’d like to receive these thoughts by email, be sure to click here and join my email devotional group!

Day Thirty-Two with Mark: Mark 8:11-12

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Today we look some of the doubters Jesus had to deal with in Mark 8:11-12:

The Demand for a Sign
11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, asking him for a sign from heaven, to test him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.”

faithI love certain words in scripture. I love how they jump out, how they explode, how the just kind of hang there.  Today for me in this reading that word, or that phrase was “He sighed deeply in His spirit.”

Jesus has literally just feed thousands of people twice.  He has healed Jews and Gentiles across the land.  People are flocking from all over to hear Him preach and to just perhaps touch the fringe of His robe that they may be healed.

Miracles are literally, not figuratively, literally happening everywhere.

And the Pharisees come, asking for a sign.  And He sighed.  Why?

Because what more signs could He produce.  Short of His death and resurrection, which was going to happen, and which they didn’t believe either, what could He do?  So He sighed.  Was is frustration?  Was it exasperation?  Was it just exhaustion?  We don’t know, but we know they He knew they wouldn’t get it. They wouldn’t see, no matter how many signs He did.

Why?  Why wouldn’t they see the signs?  Because they didn’t believe.

When we believe, we see. When we have faith, we see miracles everywhere, every day.  When faith enlivens the eyes, we see the signs of God, of faith, of miracles every day.

When we do not, we do not. When we do not see through faith, we will look, but never see. When we look though, through the eyes of faith, we see them everywhere.

Today, do you see?  God is work. Jesus is doing great things.  It is happening everywhere.

It is.  We can see it.

We just have to look right.  We just have to look through the eyes of faith.

Today, do you see?

Monday we’ll look at Mark 8:14-21.

What questions do you have?  How does this strike you?  Shoot me an email, comment below, or connect with me through social media.

If you’d like to receive these thoughts by email, be sure to click here and join my email devotional group!

Day Twenty-Five with Mark: Mark 6:45-52

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Near the end chapter 6 of Mark, we see stories that we all know so well, the feeding of the 5000, and now in verses 45-52, we see Jesus walking on water. Listen to what the Word tells us:

Jesus Walks on the Water
45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After saying farewell to them, he went up on the mountain to pray.

47 When evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 When he saw that they were straining at the oars against an adverse wind, he came towards them early in the morning, walking on the sea. He intended to pass them by. 49 But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out; 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” 51 Then he got into the boat with them and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

We see Jesus send the disciples back across the late to close to where they were staying.  But notice what Jesus does when He sends them off.  The text says that He goes up to the mountain to pray.  I think that’s one thing that we always have to take away from Jesus’ life when we look at it. The important of prayer for His life.  Jesus always, always, always spends time in prayer.

And to me, that’s such a huge thing, because think about this.  Jesus Christ is the very son of God.  He is the second person of the Trinity.  He is part of the Godhead.  He is literally one with God.  Literally.

And yet He takes time to pray to His Father.  He takes time to seek His Father’s face in prayer.  Jesus Christ knows the importance, the value, the purpose of prayer.  And He’s God Himself.

So, if Jesus understands the importance of prayer, shouldn’t we?  If Jesus took time to pray, shouldn’t we?  If this matter to Jesus, shouldn’t it matter to us?  Each time in scripture when I see Jesus understand the importance of prayer, I am reminded about just how important prayer is.  And I have to ask myself, do I pray as I ought?

Prayer mattered to Jesus.  It has to matter to us as well.

Amédée_Varint_-_Christ_marchant_sur_la_merAfter this time of prayer, we see Jesus walking upon the waters to the disciples.  And notice what they feel when they see Him walking out to them?  Fear.  They are afraid.  Because the know that no man can do this.  This is not human, they think that He’s a ghost.  They are terrified.

When they (or we) see Jesus fully in His power, it is a terrifying thing.  He is awe inspiring.  He is other.  He is God.  And that’s one of those things that our mind cannot hold together.  The incarnation.  Jesus is fully God and fully human.  He is Lord and friend.  He is our guide and He is our savior.  And He never leaves us.

Do not fear.  Do not be afraid.  No matter how big the problems you are face, Jesus is bigger.  Trust.

Do not fear.

Tomorrow we’ll look at Mark 6:35-56.

What questions do you have?  How does this strike you?  Shoot me an email, comment below, or connect with me through social media.

If you’d like to receive these thoughts by email, be sure to click here and join my email devotional group!

Day Twenty with Mark: Mark 5:21-43

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Wednesday we looked at the big picture of Mark 5:21-43.  Today, we are going to look at the specifics of the text:

A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed

21 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. 22 Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet 23 and begged him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.” 24 So he went with him.

And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. 25 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. 26 She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 for she said, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” 29 Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 He looked all around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

35 While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37 He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. 38 When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 When he had entered, he said to them, “Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha cum,” which means, “Little girl, get up!” 42 And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. 43 He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Ok, so we see two individuals healed. First, we see the daughter of Jarius healed.  Notice, we don’t know her name.  She’s a child and in that culture, children are considered little more than property.  So, notice that’s why the people said, she’s dead now, don’t bother Jesus anymore.  In this story, Jesus not only brings her back to life, but He inconveniences Himself to do that.  That’s something that would not happen in that culture.

She is worth something to Jesus.  She is worth being healed, she is worth being brought back to life.  No matter what others think, she is worth Jesus’ time and efforts.

Look at Jesus words to the father in verse 36 – do not fear, only believe.  What great words for us today.  No matter what we are going through today, there is a choice that we have to make, fear or belief.  Sometimes (most times) we have a combination of the two.  We are afraid, but we believe.  Jesus says, trust.  I have this.  Trust.

Today, no matter what it is that you are going through, don’t be afraid.  Trust.  Jesus has this.  Trust.

healingawomanwithinternalbleeding222The second healing (technically the first, as she was healed on the way) was the woman who had been bleeding for twelve years.  Ok, Jesus told Jarius not to fear, only believe.  That’s exactly what we see in this woman who was healed.  She was bleeding.  That made her unclean.  And here’s thing about being unclean, that was transferable.  So, if you’re unclean and you touch someone, you make them unclean.

So, this woman touches Jesus making Him unclean.  But here’s the thing, you can’t make Jesus unclean.  He’s the Son of God, second person of the Trinity, God Himself.  He’s unstainable.  So, He doesn’t become unclean.  But she didn’t know that.  All that she knew was this.  She had faith that if she touched Him, she would be made whole.  So she does it.

In that culture, you simply didn’t do that.  An unclean person didn’t touch a clean person.  A woman never touched a man, much less a rabbi like Jesus.  You just didn’t do that.  You didn’t.

Compare her faith to the people who were there at Jarius’ house.  She KNEW Jesus could heal her.  She KNEW it.  They laughed.

Do not fear, only believe.  Yeah, that’s a good word for us today.  Do not fear.  Only believe.

Monday we’ll look at Mark 6:1-6.

What questions do you have?  How does this strike you?  Shoot me an email, comment below, or connect with me through social media.

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Day Eighteen with Mark: Mark 5:1-19

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Yesterday we looked at some of the big picture issues of location and context and fear within Mark 5:1-19.  Today I want to look at little bit a the people involved in this story:

Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac
5 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. 3 He lived among the tombs; and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain; 4 for he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always howling and bruising himself with stones. 6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him; 7 and he shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he had said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10 He begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now there on the hillside a great herd of swine was feeding; 12 and the unclean spirits begged him, “Send us into the swine; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea.

14 The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. 17 Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 But Jesus refused, and said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you.”

734215_10152379208205043_756632953_nFirst, we see the man.  Look at the torment he had been through.  One of the things that we see Jesus do over and over again in the text is bring healing.  This man needed physical healing, he was cutting himself, harming himself, in great pain, but his physical needs came from a spiritual place.

Jesus cast out the demons and in doing this it brought spiritual and physical healing to this man.  Healing always starts with the spiritual.  In this life, the physical may, or may not, be healed.  But, through Jesus, the heart and the soul can be healed.  Jesus wants to bring healing.  He wants to bring grace.  He wants to bring forgiveness.  Forgiveness for us, and our ability to forgive others.  He longs to restore our soul and restore our life.

Jesus saw this man in pain, and He brought healing.

And look what the man wanted to do.  He said – let me follow you.  And Jesus said, no.  Do something even harder.  Tell your friends what God has done for you.  Why?  Why didn’t Jesus let him go with them?

Look at the reaction of the people in 17.  The people begged Jesus to leave.  Why?  Why did they want Jesus to leave?  Well, we see that their swine had been destroyed (By the way, sidebar – why did the demons want to go into the pigs?  Lots of opinions on this, but I’ll give you mine.  They were destructive.  They wanted to destroy as much as they could. When they could no longer destroy this man, they wanted to destroy something else).  They saw Jesus’ power.  And they were scared of it.  It was bigger than them.

Jesus was other.  And the didn’t know what to do with Him.  So they asked Him to leave.

We would never do that, would we?  Well, how many of us have felt God calls us to something, we know, we know, we know that there is something that God is calling us to.  And we run.  We run from it, we run from God.

Why?  A thousand different reasons, different reasons for all of us. But for me, and probably for many of us, its control.  We like being in control and to let God and follow Him with abandon means losing control.  Giving Him full control. And that’s terrifying.  Even though we know He is good and only wants the best for us.  It’s still scary.

And that’s why we’ve got to trust Him and follow. And sometimes we follow not to far away places. But to our own town.

Today, no matter where He calls, may we faithfully follow.

Tomorrow we’ll look at Mark 5:21-43.

What questions do you have?  How does this strike you?  Shoot me an email, comment below, or connect with me through social media.

If you’d like to receive these thoughts by email, be sure to click here and join my email devotional group!

Day Seventeen with Mark: Mark 5:1-19

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Today’s passage has A LOT going on, so we are going to spend at least two days looking at it.  We are looking at Mark 5:1-19:

Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac
5 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. 3 He lived among the tombs; and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain; 4 for he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always howling and bruising himself with stones. 6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him; 7 and he shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he had said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10 He begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now there on the hillside a great herd of swine was feeding; 12 and the unclean spirits begged him, “Send us into the swine; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea.

14 The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. 17 Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 But Jesus refused, and said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you.”

Ok, look who meets Jesus on the other side of the sea.  A guy (the other Gospels say was naked) living a cemetery.  Demon possessed.  And with pigs in the area.  This is literally the worst Jewish nightmare you can think of.  One of the things that I wondered about for the longest time is why there were pigs?  I mean, this is Israel.  Jews don’t do pigs?  Why were their pigs in this story?  Where did they come from?

734215_10152379208205043_756632953_nThis city across the sea of Galilee, you know what it was?  It was a Roman city.  It was a Gentile city.  That’s why there were pigs there. Gentiles (i.e. non-Jews) didn’t mind pigs at all. So that’s why there would have been pigs there.  By the way, the picture to your right was one that I took from the actual place where the pigs jumped off of.  Things have changed since Jesus’ day, but that’s the spot!

This place on the other side of the lake would have been forbidden for Jews. They wouldn’t have wanted, or really, been allowed to go there.  Many of you may have had grandparents say to you – don’t go outside (or wherever) that’s where the boogie man is!  They would tell you “don’t go there” because they wanted to keep you away from that place.

So, good Jewish mamas would tell their kids – don’t go across the lake.  You’ll find pigs!  And naked men!  In cemeteries!  That are Gentiles!  That’s how bad Jesus wanted rest, He went to this place He would have been warned not to go, because He knew no one would follow Him.

And they get across the lake and what do they find?  A naked guy, in a cemetery, demon possessed, who is Gentile.  Oh, and pigs!  Turns out, mama was right!  It would have been everything that they feared!  It was literally the worst combination of what they feared.

And what does Jesus do?  He brings calm.  He brings peace.  He brings restoration.  He brings life.  He brings hope.

Tomorrow, we’ll look deeper at what exactly Jesus did. But today, know this.  Jesus encountered the thing that His Jewish followers would have feared teh most.  And He triumphs over it.

Jesus is greater than whatever it is that you fear.  Always believe that.  Because it is truth.  Always hold tight to that.

Tomorrow we’ll look at Mark 5:1-19 again.

What questions do you have?  How does this strike you?  Shoot me an email, comment below, or connect with me through social media.

If you’d like to receive these thoughts by email, be sure to click here and join my email devotional group!

Day Sixteen with Mark: Mark 4:35-41

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Today in Mark, we look at Mark 4:35-41.  In this passage Jesus calms the storm:

35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. 37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

resizeIn this passage we see one of the more famous stories in all the Bible.  Jesus calms the sea.  This is one of those stories that we’ll unpack more next week, it says that they were going across to the other side of the sea.  They were going to get away, people back didn’t cross over to other side.  Why?  Come back Monday and find out.

We see in this passage that they set out and a storm blew up.  Now this is not surprising, storms blow up all the time on the Sea of Galilee.  But this was one was fierce.  So fierce that these disciples, many of whom were fishermen and used to storms like this, we scared.

And their question to Jesus, to me, shows the depth of what fear can do.  Look what they ask.  “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing.”  Look at all that Jesus had done, already. Look how He has called them by name.  Look at how He has appointed them.  Look at how He has healed so many already.  Look at what He has done.

Of course He cared.  Of course He loved them.  Or course He would take care of them.

But you know what?  Fear makes you forget these things.  Fear makes you question.  Fear makes you doubt.  Fear takes your trust.  Think about how many times we have chosen wrong or doubted what we know to be true, based off of fear.

And what does Jesus do?  He speaks and brings calm.  He speaks and brings calm.

Sometimes when we read the Bible there is great need in knowing the Greek and the Hebrew and all the context of everything.

Sometimes it is this.  Listen to Jesus speak calm to your fear and your storm.  He loves you today.  He really does.  He loves you.  He will not forsake you.  He cares.

Don’t be afraid.  Not that there aren’t big things out there. But don’t be afraid.  Jesus has not left, not will He leave.

He cares for you today.  Nothing is better than that.

And they were amazed that even the wind and the sea obey.  All things obey for He is Lord of all.  Don’t forget that.

Do not be afraid.

They were really afraid.  And they questioned if Jesus cared for them.  They knew that Jesus loved.  Fear made them doubt.

Monday we’ll look at Mark 5:1-19.

What questions do you have?  How does this strike you?  Shoot me an email, comment below, or connect with me through social media.

If you’d like to receive these thoughts by email, be sure to click here and join my email devotional group!

Who Do You Trust?

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I was reading one of the Psalms, Psalm 146 today, and these words just leapt off the page at me.  Listen to what it says in verses 3-9:

3 Do not put your trust in princes,
in mortals, in whom there is no help.
4 When their breath departs, they return to the earth;
on that very day their plans perish.
5 Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God,
6 who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps faith forever;
7 who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
8 the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the strangers;
he upholds the orphan and the widow,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

shutterstock_250176199We have two contrasting visions in this Psalm.

First we are told this – do not put your trust in princes.  Don’t put your ultimate trust in humans, no matter who they are.  No matter if they are princes.  Or preachers.  Or teachers.  Or leaders.  Or whoever.  No matter how great they may be.  Now matter how perfect they may seem.  No matter how much you admire them.

Remember what it says in verse 4.  Their breath will fail.  The body will return to the earth.  The mortality rate is 100%.  All of us will reach that end.  Me, you, all of us.  All of us are imperfect.  All of us will get it wrong. All of us will fail at some point.

Even the best of us.

But the Lord, He sets the prisoner free.  He opens the eyes of the blind.  He lifts up the orphans.  He upholds the window.  He made heaven and earth.  He set the sea in place.

He is God.  Mortals will fail.  God will not.

Today, remember that.  God will not fail you.  Who do you trust today?  Where is your trust?  In mortals?  In humans?  Even in the best, even the princes, they will draw their last breath one day.

But God is eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing, great and strong, mighty to save.  He is worthy of all our praise, our worship, all our very lives.

Today, who do we trust?

May we place our hope and faith in all areas of our lives in our God.  In Him, we can truly trust.

If you’d like to receive these thoughts by email, be sure to click here and join my email devotional group!

Doubt and Faith

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To have faith means that you are unflinching, right?  No doubts, no worries, none of that.

That’s what we think. That’s what we feel like we have to believe.  If I’m a believer, I can’t have any doubts, any of those things.  That’s what we make ourselves believe, or feel like we have to believe.

Today in our reading, we read one of my favorite prayers in the Bible.  Listen to what happens in Mark 9: 21-24:

21 Jesus asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us.” 23 Jesus said to him, “If you are able!—All things can be done for the one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

doubtThe father of a child came to Jesus, knowing that Jesus could help.  And Jesus said all things are possible when you believe.  And look what that father says – I believe.  Help my unbelief.

We would read later in the text that Jesus does just that.  He heals the child.  He brings life back to this family.

Faith is not the lack of doubt.  Faith is believing more than our doubt.  Because faith is a jumping off of a cliff.  Faith is coming to the edge, walking off of it, and trusting God to catch us.

Even when we know that He will, we can believe that, we can have that faith. But in the back of our minds we can still wonder.  What if.  What if He doesn’t catch.  What if  it goes wrong.  What if.

Faith is this.  Haven’t those thoughts and time. Having those worries. Having all that. And still jumping.

Because we may worry and we may have those voices trying to get us not to do it.  But faith says this.  God is bigger.

And He will be there.  Even if I doubt.  Because my doubts don’t negate the truth.  Faith is sometimes an act of will.  Faith says, I choose to believe this, even if I doubt. Because I know it’s true.  I know it is.  I believe.  Help my unbelief.

And what did Jesus do?  Just that.

Today, believe the truth, even if you doubt it. Because it is true.  Hold on, hold fast, and hope. God is good, even when we doubt.  May we have the will and the grace to believe.  Even when we doubt.  May God increase our faith.  Today, and always.

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The Mystery of Suffering

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One of the mysteries of life is suffering.  No one likes suffering.  No one.  It’s awful.  It’s painful.  It hurts.  It’s lonely.  It’s just one of the awful things that we go through in life.

That we go through in life.

That we all go through in life.

All of us.  Me.  You.  All of us.  It’s part of the human condition. It’s part of the human experience.  It’s part of something that every last one of us walks through.  And it’s not just us.  It’s something out God, through Jesus Christ, went through.  Listen to what we read today in Mark 8:31-33:

31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’

3632426859_70b61ae665_b2Jesus teaches the Disciples that He must undergo suffering.  He had to.  It was part of God’s plan. It was part of His purpose on the Earth.  To suffer.  To die. And to be raised.  To ascend. And to one day return.

But to get to the good stuff (Easter, Ascension, Return), He had to go through the bad stuff (betrayal, mockery, and the cross).

The divine mystery of suffering.  I don’t fully understand it.  I really don’t like it. And I wish that I could keep those I love from going through it.

But in this world there is trouble and pain and hurt. And instead of running away from our suffering, part of the divine mystery is that God, through Jesus, entered into it with us.  So, even when we suffer, remember this.

God walks with us through it.  He has tasted it our pain, our loss, our hurt.  He has hurt as we hurt and wept as we weep.  We do not suffer alone.

And in some way, perhaps ways that we don’t understand right now, and may never fully understand, God will bring something good out of it. What is it?  I don’t know. But I know out of the suffering of the cross, God brought the empty grave.  I know out of this pain that we go through, God will bring something good out of it.

The power of God is not that He stops bad things from happening. The power of God is that He can bring good out of anything.

In suffering, we hold on.  He gives us grace. And we trust.

Today, to all those that are suffering, we pray peace.  And mercy. And strength. And hope.  May you feel the arms of your saviour wrapped tight around you, whispering you are not alone.  And may you feel and see His church walking with you every step of the way.

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