(Audio)
I do believe, help my unbelief!
The whole crowd was utterly amazed by the presence of Jesus. But this amazement was only the seed of faith. It was interested enough to seek him even when his own disciples could not help. Jesus was willing to walk right into the middle of what should have been a disastrous situation for his nascent Church. His disciples were apparently too puffed up with pride to realize that "This kind can only come out through prayer."
The desperation of the boy's father pushed him beyond amazement that Jesus would charge headlong into a situation like this. It pushed him beyond assuming that a situation that had been a problem since childhood would remain forever hopeless.
But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.
This tentative initial response was enough. Jesus drew him further, offering him to opportunity to come to faith. Yet the man couldn't come to faith without grace given to believe. Flesh and blood could not reveal this to him, but only the Father through whom alone are all people drawn to Jesus.
Jesus said to him,
"If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith."
Then the boy’s father cried out, "I do believe, help my unbelief!"
Aren't we in a similar boat? We are amazed by Jesus but don't really believe in his ability to speak to and affect the circumstances of our daily lives. The prayer of this loving father for his child should become our prayer. It is not a prayer drawn from the heart of a spectator, but from the heart of a lover who has learned that he or she cannot love enough apart from him. Let us learn that this is true about each of us so that we can pray, "I do believe, help my unbelief!"
The LORD wants to give us a heavenly wisdom. It is a wisdom that knows the importance of faith, love, and prayer. He himself is the only source of this wisdom. His disciples must turn again and again to him to receive it. He wants us to do the same.
He has poured her forth upon all his works,
upon every living thing according to his bounty;
he has lavished her upon his friends.
Let us move from mere amazement to faith by the grace which God pours out.
Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed:
holiness befits your house,
O LORD, for length of days.
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