Help My Unbelief!

“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” [Mark 9.23]

What started off a question about Jesus' ability to do the supernatural, ended up being a declaration about the believer's ability to do the supernatural.

We get no uncertain sense of Jesus' dissatisfaction with His followers not "getting it" in today's One Year Chronological Bible reading. Look at what Jesus said prior to the verse above in verse 19:

Jesus said to them, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” [Mark 9.19]

It is clear from Jesus' statement here that He fully intended that people understand and operate in the power available to those who believe. It is in the context of this same event (as told by the various Gospels) that Jesus introduced the "mustard seed" concept of faith.

In another part of today's reading, Jesus also introduced a concept unique to faith - the truth that faith is in no way related to 'maturity:'

Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. [Matthew 18.3]

In fact, Jesus indicated that "maturity" must be discarded in order to embrace the immaturity of childlikeness. "Becoming like a child" is a conscious effort contrary to natural processes. 

That said, along with the 'maturity-not-required' caveat above, Jesus also revealed a huge condition for inclusion in God's Kingdom: repentance.

Two things are revealed here: 1) faith is not complicated; and 2) repentance is not optional. And, within the realm of these two met requirements, anything is possible.

Back to the opening verse above... Jesus' attitude about faith was matter-of-fact: “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” It should be understood that Jesus did not even consider the possibility that He could not heal the boy. And it should be understood that Jesus did not limit this attitude to only Himself, but to anyone who believes.

Where does this all put us today? It puts us far away from God and faith. The rest of the paragraph is pure sarcasm: It's a good thing we've concocted some complicated doctrines and theologies to ease the indictment of these scriptures though, huh? We would be in trouble if we hadn't written libraries full of commentaries and explanations why we are okay even though we do not match up at all with what Jesus clearly said in the Bible.

We are, by and large, powerless today. There is a problem. More likely than not, our powerless problem is tied directly to our proud defense of our religious knowledge and consequent refusal to repent.

If we are to childishly believe anything is possible to the person who believes and see that power at work in and around us, then we need to start 1) repenting and 2) getting rid of our prized knowledge (becoming, on purpose, like children) in order to have a place in God's Kingdom!

Hmm...

Father, forgive me for making such an education out of my relationship with You instead of making an obedience of it. If You say there will be a coin in a fish's mouth, then I want to respond accordingly (regardless how ridiculous my education tells me that is). Help me to repent and purposefully unlearn all that separates me from You. Help my unbelief!