Consider the father who was at his wit's end with the "dumb spirit" that had tortured his son since childhood. He would try anything. And certainly he would go to the rabbi who was causing such a stir with his healing ability. Jesus says to this troubled man:
"...all things are possible to him that believeth." (Mark 9:23)
Again, I think about the contrast between comfort and affliction. The affliction this family endured was probably not just the "spirit" that had invaded the body of the son, but the additional hardship over and above the misery of daily life. And now they were part of a public spectacle. If the father was like me, he just wanted some peace; he wanted to be left alone. As a father, however, he could not pass an opportunity to bring healing to his son. So the brave father allowed the deepest part of his soul to be publicly exposed to an unknown challenge, probably well beyond his simple heart. A terrible angst rings through in his words:
"Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." (Mark 9:24)
So the Lord had compassion and healed the son. The father left us this example of believing and accepting what our Lord does - the Lord delivers us without any help on our part. He challenges us to believe. He extends his hand even to that part of us that struggles to believe. The measure of faith we have been given - is that sufficient for us? Does that measure really overflow, but our minds are so troubled we cannot know that His grace is sufficient?
The Lord delivers us from our affliction to the comfort of faith.
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