Daily Devotions
Mark
2 Peter 2:16b "A dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet." 2 Peter 2:16b"
Day 204 – Mark 9
“A dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.”
2 Peter 2:16b
DEEP DESPAIR
The despair of the distraught father was virtually palpable. The reasons for his despair were:-
1. Helplessness against the vicious wickedness of the mute demon
2. Countless attacks of the demon against the young lad since childhood
3. The failure of the Disciples of Jesus to cast out the demon
All these factors added to the feeling of deep despair of the father. Could Jesus help at all? Would He not somehow have compassion on them and deliver the boy from the power of the mute demon?
ENGAGEMENT OF FAITH
The problem did not lie with the power or the compassion of Jesus. There was something that the man must seek to engage!
“Jesus said to him,
‘If you can believe, all things are possible
to him who believes.'”
MARK 9:23
1. If you can believe
What was needed was the faith of the father! Could he somehow muster enough faith to believe that Jesus could indeed help them?
2. The place of faith
The father needed to know that without faith, it was impossible to please God! He must somehow look deep into his soul and bring forth that faith that had been battered. It was still there, for had he not brought his son to Jesus to be healed? A battered faith is still faith. It is still useful.
3. All things are possible to him who believes
a) Does “all things” include deliverance for his son?
Surely, “all things” must include the possibility of his son to find deliverance from the mute demon!
b) To him who believes
Jesus sought to stir up hope in the heart of the father. He must not lose hope. He must stir up his faith, if for nothing else, for the sake of his poor son. Could faith have such a powerful effect? Then he must engage his faith, for whatever it is worth!