Saving kids
by Pastor Reid Matthias
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Everything is possible for the one who believes (Mark 9:23b).
Read Mark 9:14–29
How often have we heard the plea from a parent, ‘Can someone please help my child’? The grief and pain of a parent who scans the crowds for someone – anyone at all – to ease the pain of our children who are cast into the fires of social media confusion or drowned in the waters of online activity.
The father in our Scripture is desperate for someone to act on behalf of his son, but predictably, those in charge (the teachers of the law) are discussing with the other nine disciples. We don’t exactly know what was said but can only assume that they were scoffing to the disciples, ‘You claim the power of your rabbi, but you can’t even heal a child’.
All the hot air wasted on arguing about the issue rather than fixing it …
Enter Jesus, perhaps still glowing from the Transfiguration. The crowd rushed to him, overwhelmed and in awe. ‘The spirit keeps driving him into the depths of the fire and water. If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.’
The father’s response is not simply about healing his son but restoring the family.
Help us.
Jesus gives the most hopeful response – one for the 1st and 21st centuries. ‘Everything is possible for the one who believes.’
No somethings, or a few things, but everything.
But the caveat is – they’re possible, not promised. For this father and his son, the father’s belief brings about immediate change through Jesus’ power, but sometimes the possibility is in the future. Sometimes, that thing we are desperate for doesn’t come in the form we expect (or even want). How does a Christian deal with this? How does a believing person, who prays and fasts, wrestle with an answer that resounds with ‘later’?
What things in life do you struggle with? How do you hear the words of Jesus as possible and promise-ful, especially when it comes to kids?
Lord Jesus, help us. We know you have the power to rescue. You have promised that belief will lead me through. I pray that you give me the patience to wait for your answer. Amen.
Reid Matthias is the school pastor at St Andrews Lutheran College in Tallebudgera, Queensland. Reid is married to Christine, who is part of the Grow Ministries team. Together, they have raised three incredible daughters, Elsa, Josephine and Greta. Dedicated to the written word, Reid has recently published his fourth novel, Blank Spaces, maintains the blog ireid.blogspot.com and regularly contributes to The Lutheran magazine.
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