To Live is Christ — because He is faithful

When Jesus was up on the mountain meeting with Moses and Elijah, His disciples were trying to cast a demon out of a boy. They failed, apparently because this was a “faithless generation” who needed signs and wonders to convince them.

When Jesus entered the crowd and asked what was going on, the boy’s father told him of his son’s hapless condition. Jesus asked him to bring the boy to Him.

So the followers brought him to Jesus. As soon as the evil spirit saw Jesus, it made the boy lose control of himself, and he fell down and rolled on the ground, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has this been happening?” The father answered, “Since he was very young. The spirit often throws him into a fire or into water to kill him. If you can do anything for him, please have pity on us and help us.”

I can remember times that my prayers to Jesus had the words “if you can” in them. As I learned about God and His great power, I blush to think that I would doubt Him with such words.

Jesus said to the father, “You said, ‘If you can!’ All things are possible for the one who believes.” Immediately the father cried out, “I do believe! Help me to believe more!” When Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly gathering, he ordered the evil spirit, saying, “You spirit that makes people unable to hear or speak, I command you to come out of this boy and never enter him again!” The evil spirit screamed and caused the boy to fall on the ground again. Then the spirit came out. The boy looked as if he were dead, and many people said, “He is dead!” But Jesus took hold of the boy’s hand and helped him to stand up.(Mark 9:20–27, NCV)

The man said ‘if’ and Jesus challenged that. He chided him for his lack of faith, and the man immediately admitted that his faith was not perfect. I’ve had to do that too. However, this miracle or any miracle isn’t about the man’s faith, or mine.

At first read (and in some Bible versions) it looks like Jesus meant that the impossible stays that way for people who don’t have enough faith. However, the boy’s father admitted his faith was not perfect. This didn’t matter because Jesus had compassion on him and his son; He helped them anyway. If miracles depend on having enough faith, then this boy would not have been set free from the demon’s attacks.

Faith is important because Jesus does ask us to believe in Him, yet some make it the controlling factor. They say, “If you had enough faith, this would be fixed/healed” putting the onus is on the victim, or the victim’s family, or on other humans, sinners all.

My question then is this: How much faith is enough? And how do you measure it anyway? That is like trying to measure sad or happy. We know there is a “really happy” and a “really sad” but where is the line that divides one from the other?

Faith is not about my ability to believe as much as it is about the object of my faith. For instance, I can trust that my car will get me to the grocery store, but that depends on the condition of my car. Believing it will travel a few blocks does not make it happen, particularly if the gas tank is empty.

So it is with faith in Christ. It isn’t about the size, shape, height or depth of my faith; it is about the worth of the One that I trust. Can He do it? Will He come through? Is He reliable? Does He care? Is He powerful enough? Does He know how?

The answer is best given by the angels as seen by the Apostle John in his vision of heaven . . . 

Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels around the throne, and the four living creatures, and the elders. There were thousands and thousands of angels, saying in a loud voice: “The Lamb who was killed is worthy to receive power, wealth, wisdom, and strength, honor, glory, and praise!” (Revelation 5:11–12, NCV)

Because Jesus is totally faithful, He is therefore worthy of every ounce of faith I can muster!