Unbelieving Generation

“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “How long shall I stay with you?  Bring the boy to me.”  Mark 9:19 (TNIV)

The small party came down the mountain.  Peter James and John had just seen the Lord transfigured to extra-earthly light.  They had seen Jesus shinning as He does in the heavenly realms.  But now they were making their way back down to the earthly scene.  They reached the place where the other Disciples were waiting.  But there was arguing and confusion.  Jesus asks what all the fuss is about.  A man explains that he came to the believers for help.  He had brought his boy who was tormented by an evil and terrible condition.  But the followers of Jesus had not been able to heal the boy from the forces of evil that held him.  They could not drive that demon out of the boy.  Now those who would stand in Jesus´ way were there taking advantage of the situation. It seemed a fine moment to try to prove something less of Jesus.

Do we find ourselves in many similar predicaments today?  Are there many people who approach Christianity for help and healing?  Will they wonder and doubt when the humans they find here are unable to help them?  Are there people who would oppose our efforts to lift up and direct men to Jesus?

That day Jesus was there on the scene.  When He arrived He took control.  People had questions and doubt.  The Disciples no longer had to carry the burden of fixing everything.  Jesus sighs when he looks at the situation.  He was disappointed to find so little faith.  Who was looking upward to God?  Who was standing on faith?  Who was leaning on prayer and the power and love of God?

All those present had rightfully recognized that evil forces were seizing the boy.  They had even done well to try to bring him to Jesus for healing and help.  But the limiting factor is when our unbelief separates us from God.  We look to each other.  It is good to come together.  But we must actively and purposely do so to join efforts in approaching the Lord.  Never are we to take our attention from Him.  Never are we to direct attention to people.  Never are we to find our strength and help in fellow man.  The fellow Christian is a helping hand.  They are very useful friends assisting to direct all our attention and focus back upon the Lord.

When God is rightfully sitting on His throne of power, then His love is open for us.  When our attention is fully upon Him then His arm is free to work in our lives.  When we look to Him for the healing and restoring, then all heaven works to carry out His will.  When we show signs of faith, then we are standing within His will.

Today we may find that we are reaching a situation that is getting out of hand.  We must recognize quickly what is happening.  We should look carefully to see if we are letting Jesus take control.  Have we turned ourselves and those around us to look to Him?  Are we seeking His will for that situation?  How much faith in God and in His kingdom are we demonstrating?  Do we want to hear Jesus sigh at us and remark of how little belief He finds with our generation?

Dear Jesus, so many times we find ourselves in stressful situations.  Please help us realize that You are here.  We do not need to carry the burden or feel the weight of our worries.  We need You.  We need to shift our attention to You.  We need to look to You to see what You are trying to teach us through each moment.  Please open our eyes to see that You are still at work and You will draw us closer to You and the Father.  You will strengthen our relationship, even in the face of our most threatening demons.  Show us how close You want us to be today.

Amen