“I must be willing to give whatever it takes to do good to others. This requires that I be willing to give until it hurts. Otherwise, there is no true love in me, and I bring injustice, not peace, to those around me.”
― Mother Teresa
“I must be willing to give whatever it takes to do good to others. This requires that I be willing to give until it hurts. Otherwise, there is no true love in me, and I bring injustice, not peace, to those around me.”
― Mother Teresa
― Mother Teresa
NUMBERS 28-29
MARK 9:1-29
14When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
16“What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.
17A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
19“You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
20So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
21Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered. 22“It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
24Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
25When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
26The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
JOURNAL
There are so many things to glean from the text. First of all...over and over God has the Israelites performing detailed sacrifices. It just seems so ritualistic and almost pagan. Yet when viewed from the perspective that God is building a nation with slaves. God is taking people who have only known a life of imprisonment. To me...the ritualistic sacrifices are for the purpose of helping them to fully be reverent to God. To ultimately put God and obedience to God above everything else.
Then there is the whole casting out the demon by Jesus. This also seems strange and pagan and like some form of witchcraft...especially when put into the context of today's world. When the boy's father asks for help with his unbelief, I think this is the point of this passage. This is where all of us truly fall, we all struggle with our "unbelief". The reality is that if the living God were standing beside us then we would behave differently. We would not question obedience or the future or our struggles. I daresay I would fully give all that I am to be obedient unto death.
What would happen in our communities and in our world if all "christians" truly sold out in complete obedience to God? I believe you would see the Kingdom of God come on earth.
There are so many things to glean from the text. First of all...over and over God has the Israelites performing detailed sacrifices. It just seems so ritualistic and almost pagan. Yet when viewed from the perspective that God is building a nation with slaves. God is taking people who have only known a life of imprisonment. To me...the ritualistic sacrifices are for the purpose of helping them to fully be reverent to God. To ultimately put God and obedience to God above everything else.
Then there is the whole casting out the demon by Jesus. This also seems strange and pagan and like some form of witchcraft...especially when put into the context of today's world. When the boy's father asks for help with his unbelief, I think this is the point of this passage. This is where all of us truly fall, we all struggle with our "unbelief". The reality is that if the living God were standing beside us then we would behave differently. We would not question obedience or the future or our struggles. I daresay I would fully give all that I am to be obedient unto death.
What would happen in our communities and in our world if all "christians" truly sold out in complete obedience to God? I believe you would see the Kingdom of God come on earth.
Then there is the whole casting out the demon by Jesus. This also seems strange and pagan and like some form of witchcraft...especially when put into the context of today's world. When the boy's father asks for help with his unbelief, I think this is the point of this passage. This is where all of us truly fall, we all struggle with our "unbelief". The reality is that if the living God were standing beside us then we would behave differently. We would not question obedience or the future or our struggles. I daresay I would fully give all that I am to be obedient unto death.
What would happen in our communities and in our world if all "christians" truly sold out in complete obedience to God? I believe you would see the Kingdom of God come on earth.
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