HELP MY UNBELIEF!

March 20, 2011, 2nd Sunday in Lent

The scripture reading is from Mark 9:14-32:

When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. When the whole crowd saw him, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him.  He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?”  Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak; and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so.”  He answered them, “You faithless generation, how much longer must I be among you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.”  And they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.  Jesus asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.  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.”  Jesus said to him, “If you are able!—All things can be done for the one who believes.”  Immediately the father of the child cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!”  When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You spirit that keeps this boy from speaking and hearing, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!” After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.”  But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he was able to stand.  When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”  He said to them, “This kind can come out only through prayer.” 

They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it;  for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him. 

Questions for Personal Reflection from Jerry Tankersley

Can you remember a serious illness you had as a child? Or maybe a serious illness a sibling experienced? What happened?

Do you remember visiting the doctor’s office when you were a child and how you felt about it?

Did your parents teach you to pray any particular prayer?

Did you ever have a question about God that you could not answer?  What was the question?

Have you ever doubted the existence of God?  What caused you to doubt?

Have you asked God to answer a prayer and then experienced God’s answer?  Explain.

Is there a prayer you have made to God that still has not been answered in the way you asked? How has the lack of an answer impacted your faith worldview?

Prayer:

Good Shepherd of all, 

help me to hear your voice of assurance when I am lost and hopeless.

Let me find rest and safety in your presence.

Though I may be tempted to be full of fear and self-pity, 

though I may wish to run away from you, 
please never give up on me.
I believe, help my unbelief!  Amen.

- Prayer by Henri J. M. Nouwen, from the book, Lent and Easter, compiled by Judy Bauer.