By Katy Mariotti

Help Our Unbelief!

“And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
Mark 9:23-24

The picture today needs some explaining.  Recently my son needed to come to choir rehearsal with me.  While I directed the choir he occupied himself by throwing a ball around.  When rehearsal ended he came to me much chagrined, to tell me he’d thrown the ball up high and it had become stuck on top of a beam.  I came to look and sure enough, there was the ball, up far higher than I was able to reach.  I looked around for a long stick but did not find one, and then I had the idea that maybe we could throw something else to knock the ball down.  I found a ball and my son started throwing.  Amazingly, after only a couple tries, he landed the ball right next to the original ball!  It made us laugh- what are the odds that he could aim that well and that another ball would stick in just the same place? Although slightly frustrating, it felt a little miraculous too.

How often do we experience miracles?  How often do we expect them?  I know I approach life with a certain amount of skepticism.  I certainly don’t expect miracles to happen.  To be honest with you, sometimes I feel a little hopeless when I pray for something that feels miraculous.

But God tells us that faith can move mountains.  In this verse from Mark, a man whose son was possessed asks for help from Jesus, saying “IF you can…” and Jesus responds that ALL things are possible for one who believes.  All things!

Today I pray for us to expect miracles.  I also want to point out that my dad offered to bring something to help get the ball down, and a coworker also got up on a ladder with a very long pole to get both balls down.  Sometimes miracles are the people around us.  Let’s notice the miracles we already have too!

Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado