门徒不能把一个附在男孩身上正在伤害他的污鬼赶出来,他们因此感到自己的无能,他们也与批评他们的群众辩论,来发泄他们的失望。
究竟出了什么问题呢?他们是否需要更加积极的思维?有时我们可能听到有人说:“只要有信心就可以,”或“只要把想像化为可见的现实”- 这就是说,如果你真的相信它会发生,任何事情都是有可能梦想成真的。然而,这只不过是出自个人的乐观想法,它与敬虔的信心完全无关。
我们听到男孩的父亲恳求耶稣说:“我信,但我信不足,求主帮助!”这与门徒的无能和辩论的态度完全不同。因着父亲的祈求,男孩重获新生。
信心本质上不是一种自有的信念,信心乃是从神而来的多重的祝福,是藉着我们选择接受培养起来的 - 就像这个父亲的祈求一样。
耶稣没有因这人的谦卑和坦诚的恳求而推却他,祂同样也不会因此推却我们:“我信 - 但是神啊,老实说,我没有力量,我也不是时常都有把握的,求你帮助我。”
建立信心和成为门徒往往很具挑战性,我们是全然倚靠主赐信心给我们来生活的。耶稣爱我们,所以,当我们挣扎着学习凭信心而活时,祂会欣然垂听我们向祂祈求帮助。
亲爱的耶稣,我信,但我信不足,求你帮助。感谢你。阿们。
马可福音 9:14-29
14耶稣到了门徒那里,看见有许多人围着他们,又有文士和他们辩论。
15众人一见耶稣,都甚稀奇,就跑上去问他的安。
16耶稣问他们说:“你们和他们辩论的是什么?”
17众人中间有一个人回答说:“夫子,我带了我的儿子到你这里来,他被哑巴鬼附着。
18无论在哪里,鬼捉弄他,把他摔倒,他就口中流沫,咬牙切齿,身体枯干。我请过你的门徒把鬼赶出去,他们却是不能。”
19耶稣说:“唉!不信的世代啊,我在你们这里要到几时呢?我忍耐你们要到几时呢?把他带到我这里来吧!”
20他们就带了他来。他一见耶稣,鬼便叫他重重地抽风,倒在地上翻来覆去,口中流沫。
21耶稣问他父亲说:“他得这病有多少日子呢?”回答说:“从小的时候。
22鬼屡次把他扔在火里、水里,要灭他。你若能做什么,求你怜悯我们,帮助我们!”
23耶稣对他说:“你若能信,在信的人,凡事都能。”
24孩子的父亲立时喊着说:“我信!但我信不足,求主帮助!”
25耶稣看见众人都跑上来,就斥责那污鬼,说:“你这聋哑的鬼,我吩咐你从他里头出来,再不要进去!”
26那鬼喊叫,使孩子大大地抽了一阵风,就出来了。孩子好像死了一般,以致众人多半说:“他是死了。”
27但耶稣拉着他的手,扶他起来,他就站起来了。
28耶稣进了屋子,门徒就暗暗地问他说:“我们为什么不能赶出他去呢?”
29耶稣说:“非用祷告,这一类的鬼总不能出来。”
"I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” - Mark 9:24
The disciples were not able to drive out a demon that was harming a young boy. That made them feel useless. They ended up dealing with their frustration by arguing with critics in the crowd.
What went wrong? Did they need to think more positively? Sometimes we might hear someone say, “Just have more faith,” or, “Just visualize it into reality”—meaning that anything is possible if we truly believe it can happen. But that is just self-powered optimism and has nothing to do with godly faith.
In contrast to the disciples’ ineffectiveness and arguing, we hear the father of the boy pleading with Jesus, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” And from that prayer new life arises.
Faith is not first of all a matter of self-generated conviction, but a blessed mixture of a divine gift that is received and nurtured—as in this father’s prayer.
Jesus is not put off by the man’s humble and honest plea. And he is not put off by ours: “I believe—but honestly, God, I’m not strong, and I’m not always certain. Please help me.”
Faith and discipleship can be challenging. And we are totally dependent on the Lord to give us faith. Because he loves us, Jesus is delighted to have us ask him for help as we struggle in learning to live by faith.
Dear Jesus, I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief. Thank you. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳