Weekly Devotional
Posted:
9/15/2015
Heal My Child
“Help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)
Nothing brings a mother to her knees more than when her child is in need. Whether the need is for spiritual, physical or emotional healing, the child’s pain is her pain. She often grows weary from seeking Gods help wondering if He’s coming to the rescue.
Every parent can relate to the father in Mark, chapter nine, who calls out to Jesus to heal his son. The father says “if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us. “Do you remember Jesus response? His words made me tremble. He said “If you can? Everything is possible for him who believes!” Jesus focus was less on the child and more on the parent. Realizing that, the father said, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
There’s an important change of events here. The father was seeking healing for his child and yet after encountering Jesus, he asked for healing for himself. Is that what Jesus wants from us? Less panic and more faith? To “approach the throne of grace with confidence”---and trust that God’s version of healing is always better than our own? Maybe God is trying to heal us at the same time he is healing our child.
Each time I seek God’s help for my children, I need to ask the Lord to examine my heart. Do I really believe He loves my child and knows exactly what he or she needs? Do I believe He hears my prayers and has a plan? Because if I love the Lord, the question is not whether He is working my child’s circumstance out for good as He promised in Romans 8:28. The question is… do I believe it?
I would love to have been there so I could hug the desperate father in the story of Mark. I know how he feels. I bet you do too. But I would also love to have been around to watch his faith grow…as he watched his almighty Savior do what He does best. Save.
Dear heavenly Father
Give me the faith needed to trust Your response to my prayers. Remind me, as often as You need to, that often I am the one who needs the healing. Amen.