After Jesus and His three disciples come down from the mount of transfiguration, they are met by a large crowd. It’s obvious that a lively discussion has been taking place, and when Jesus asks what it’s about, a man shouts that his son, his only son, was tormented by an evil spirit that constantly threw him to the ground and bruised and convulsed him (Mark 9: 14-29; Luke 9:37-43). Then the man goes on to say that he had begged the disciples to drive it out, but they couldn’t. Jesus’ response reeks of frustration. “Oh faithless and perverse generation,” He says, “how long do I have to put up with you?” That word “faithless” in Greek is apistos and means a heathen, untrustworthy. And the word “perverse” is diastrepho and means to distort, corrupt, misinterpret, to turn back again to former ways. Then, in a few words, Jesus rebukes the demon spirit and heals the boy. When all the commotion dies down, the disciples ask Jesus why they couldn’t deliver the boy. The answer: it required prayer and fasting.

The first thing that struck me was this boy was an only child, an only son. What a contrast to this scene and the one before it on the mount of transfiguration when God proclaimed Jesus His Beloved Son then issued the command to “hear Him” to listen to Him! (Mark 9:7). And how vastly different were the two sons: the Son of God and the son of man. While Jesus is clothed in glory and power and majesty, we, the sons of men are constantly brought low by Satan and the trials of life, often bruised, reduced to trembling, and impotent in the face of our adversary. It is the common condition of man. Yet all the while we have God’s Word, the promise of His indwelling spirit if we but believe, and all the power that that represents. So why is so much of our generation faithless, heathen in heart, and more willing to cling to their old ways, choosing to wallow in the dirt rather than believe God? And why do so many in the church twist, misrepresent, and downright corrupt God’s Word until it is an impotent thing?

There is a cautionary aspect to the above passages. Jesus laments how much longer He will have to put up with unbelief and the disobedience it inspires.  The meaning is clear. It will not always be so. Jesus will not always suffer unbelief, rejection of His person, or disobedience to His word. There will come a time when His mercy, His dispensation of grace will come to an end and it’s called the Tribulation. There is also a cautionary word for believers. If we want to have total victory over Satan in our lives we must spend time with God. We must pray and worship and seek His face. And rather than feasting on the things of this world we must feast on the things of God.  If we do we will build ourselves up spiritually, thus enabling the Holy Spirit to empower us, to make us fit warriors able to face every trial of life. And instead of being flattened and brought low, “we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Until next time,

Sylvia

Imagine being desperately ill for thirty-eight years and the only chance you thought you had of ever getting better was to dip into the Pool of Bethesda. Only problem was, a lot of other people wanted to get healed in that pool, too, and only the first to reach the water, whenever an angel stirred it up, ever seemed to get well (John 5:1-5). Even so, this poor man didn’t give up. Year after year he went to the pool hoping he’d be the lucky one this time.  But after trying for thirty-eight years, I’m sure he was at the point where he wondered if he’d ever make it first into the pool, especially since he had no one to carry him down. Then along comes Jesus.

John 5:6 tells us that Jesus “noticed him (the sick man) lying there helpless” and knew at once that he had been in this poor state for a very long time. His first question to the man seems a bit odd. “Do you want to become well?” Even to a casual observer the answer seems obvious. Or is it?  Sometimes after being so long in a certain condition we can become resigned, lose our hope, even become comfortable in our misery and let it define us. Some people even use their misfortunes to manipulate and control others. There are numerous stories of parents/husbands/wives/friends/neighbors who have used an illness or misfortune to control those around them through guilt.

So at second glance Jesus’ question doesn’t seem that odd after all. And Jesus asks this same question of us. Do we really want to be free of that illness, that situation, that addiction, that heartache? Or do we want to hold onto it and let it define us? It’s no accident that Bethesda means “house of kindness” in Greek. Jesus is kindness itself and where He is allowed to enter, where He is invited to go, automatically is infused with kindness and mercy. We are much more fortunate than the man who suffered for thirty-eight years. We don’t have to wait for an angel to “trouble the waters” then race to its edge trying to be first. Jesus is our Pool of Bethesda. He is our “living water.”  He is our “House of Kindness.” We need nothing more. And if we are serious and want His intervention in our lives He will not disappoint. And His grace will carry us through as He works things out in His way and according to His timing.

Until next week,

Sylvia