Reaching out

In discussing how Christ deals with outsiders we saw examples of four different types: active disbelievers in the form of the Canaanite woman, corrupted former believers in the person of the Samaritan woman, indifferent disbelievers in the form of the Roman officer and the once believer who has sacrificed belief to expediency in the form of the woman caught in adultery. Notice that each group is firmly planted in its outlook on life, until something so big comes around that it shakes the world view. But what about someone who cannot seem to find solid ground? How does God feel about doubts and doubters?

Mark 9 has the story of the boy who had spent almost his entire life possessed by a demon. Somehow, despite the boy being nearly drowned, sometimes burned and who knows what else, the father has always managed to save the boy’s life. The situation has gone on for years, so the father tried going to Jesus’ disciples. But for some reason that didn’t work.

In desperation the father brings the boy to Jesus Himself. He asked the boy’s father about the particulars of the situation. The father responds, “Ever since he was a little boy. Many times it pitches him into fire or the river to do away with him. If you can do anything, do it. Have a heart and help us!”

Jesus does not mince words, “If? There are no ifs among believers. Anything can happen.” That does not seem to leave any wiggle room, does it? It’s as if Yoda took a page from Jesus here when the Jedi master told Luke, “Try?

There is no try. Either do, or do not!”

The father’s response, however, was a bit different than Luke’s. “No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the father cried, ‘Then I believe. Help me with my doubts!’” Thing is, though this was up a notch or two from Luke’s response to Yoda, it still sounds like an “if.” Dad is in the Dagobah dud zone, lost in the swamp.

Christ’s response was not what we could expect given the situation. Mark records. “Seeing that the crowd was forming fast, Jesus gave the vile spirit its marching orders: ‘Dumb and deaf spirit, I command you – out of him, and stay out!’ Screaming, and with much thrashing about, it left.” The father got his wish, or at least half of it. Mark notes, “The boy was pale as a corpse, so people started saying, ‘He’s dead.’” Imagine the father’s feelings of hope raised, then dashed when his worst fear became a reality. After all the years of going to extremes to preserve his son’s life, the boy is killed by the cure that finally came. Mark tells us further,

“But Jesus, taking his hand, raised him. The boy stood up.” Jesus restored the boy to his father whole. (Mark 9:2127 The Message)

There are two points here, the first feeding into the second. When we see broken and damaged beyond repair, God sees whole and restored. Nothing is beyond His reach. Second, the father’s fear for his son, carried on over the years, was swamping his heart and mind, producing doubt. Jesus was clear; doubt is a problem. But in that father He also saw the seeds of faith, and they were enough. Even if you are lost in your own swamp of doubt, reach out to God. He will reach out to you!

(Philip Severi, a former Bishop resident, previously wrote a weekly column for The Inyo Register. He contributes to this page from his home in Twain Harte.)