Saturday 21 July, 2012

37 The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 38 A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39 A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. 40 I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.” 41 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.” 42 Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil[a] spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43 And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

Jesus and the disciples had just come down from a mountain top experience (the night before) like worship on steroids … Jesus is aware that His time with them is coming to an end when this demon possessed boy is brought before Him – his father comments that the disciples have been unable to heal him.  Luke 9:41 Jesus said, “What a generation! No sense of God! No focus to your lives! How many times do I have to go over these things? How much longer do I have to put up with this? Bring your son here.”  (The Message version)
I sense that Jesus words reveal his concern in leaving the disciples (in particular) to carry on with Gods work without Him when He has gone. How many times have they seen Him cast out demons? How many times have they seen Him heal the sick? How many times has He shown them and told them what God will do with them, in them, and through them, if they would only have the faith of a mustard seed? I hear those words echo in my own mind … How many times have I seen the power and authority of God accomplish all that He has promised it would in my life? And yet, right now as I face events that are challenging, overwhelming – is my response to try and then fail at believing God, or to walk in confident assurance that my God is able to do exceedingly and abundantly more than I can ask think or imagine? ( Eph 3:20) Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.