How the Lord Heals

Day 34: Mark 9:14-29 “When they came to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes disputing with them. When the whole crowd saw him, they were amazed and ran to greet him. He asked them, “What are you arguing with them about?” Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you. He has a spirit that makes him unable to speak. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn’t.” He replied to them, “You unbelieving generation, how long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me.” So they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, it immediately threw the boy into convulsions. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. “How long has this been happening to him?” Jesus asked his father. “From childhood,” he said. “And many times it has thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’? Everything is possible for the one who believes.” Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly gathering, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You mute and deaf spirit, I command you: Come out of him and never enter him again.” Then it came out, shrieking and throwing him into terrible convulsions. The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus, taking him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up. After he had gone into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” And he told them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer.” -- Mark 9:14-29 (CSB) A large crowd had formed as the disciples argued with the scribes and other people. Jesus came and questioned them about the dispute. A man revealed that he had brought his son, who suffered horribly from a demon, which made him have convulsions, grind his teeth and foam at the mouth. Jesus saw the unbelief in the congregation of people and called them out on it. The father revealed to Jesus that his son had been suffering from this demon since childhood. He unconfidently asked if Jesus could help him. Jesus responded with, "If I can?" because of the lack of faith, even though so many miracles had already been performed through him. Jesus stated that "everything is possible for the one who believes." The boy's father cried out to Jesus, asking for all the unbelief in his heart to be removed. Jesus rebuked the spirit and told it to come out of the boy. With convulsions, the boy looked dead. Jesus took the boy by the hand; he stood up and was healed. The disciples asked Jesus why they could not perform this healing, and Jesus told them that this kind of demon could only be driven out by prayer. The Lord has so much compassion for you and your hardships. Stop questioning his abilities; instead, be confident that anything is possible for the one who leaves their life in the hands of Christ. Reflection: Do you present your prayers to God with confidence? Ask Jesus to remove all the unbelief from your heart and be confident in him. Prayer: