There were two verses that jumped out at me in today's passage.
"O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you and put up with you?" Luke 9:41
Those seem like pretty harsh words. But Jesus takes us to task when we need it, and the disciples needed it. They had just witnessed several miracles (the feeding of the 5000 and 4000) and the transfiguration, which was an incredible supernatural experience, and they had been commissioned by Jesus to cast out demons - and yet they could not. And why not? With all the accounts together Jesus lets them (and us) know that they could not because they were lacking in faith, prayer and fasting (some manuscripts of Matthew have the fasting reference).
Apparently they had let their devotional life slip. And when that was gone, their faith was weakened and their power was gone.
In his sermon, How Does He Put Up With Us, David Legge indicates that Jesus was frustrated with their unbelief and failure to cast out the demon, with their spiritual blindness (they couldn't understand it when Jesus talked about how He would have to die), with their pride (they didn't like it that others were casting out demons too, and then they argued about who was the greatest), with their lack of love (when they wanted to call down fire from heaven to destroy the Samaritans) and then with the lack of dedication of some potential disciples who valued comfort, family and work over God.
Is Jesus frustrated with you and me?
How is our unbelief? How is our faith? How disciplined are we in walking with Jesus?
Are we spiritually blind?
Are we proud?
Do we lack love?
Do we place our families, work and comfort ahead of God?
Pretty pointed questions and I know, by my own honest answers to those questions, that at times I must frustrate God a great deal.
But then, I take heart from the other verse that jumped out at me....
Jesus had just told the disciples and the boy's father that everything is possible for him who believes....
Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Mark 9:24
And Jesus healed his son.
Jesus is there to help us. He is there to help us overcome our unbelief. And if we desire Him to, He is there to give us the strength to be disciplined in our faith and devotional life, He will be there as we take up our cross to follow Him.
We are not in this alone.
But the decision to do it is ours alone.
Tomorrow's passage: John 7:1-8:20, Luke 9:51-62, Matthew 8:18-22
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