Monday, August 10

1 Timothy 5:3-8

Honor widows who are really widows. If a widow has children or grandchildren, they should first learn their religious duty to their own family and make some repayment to their parents, for this is pleasing in God’s sight. The real widow, left alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day, but the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. Give these commands as well, so that they may be above reproach.  And whoever does not provide for relatives, and especially for family members, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

With Chain of Lakes celebrating youth and children this past week at Vacation Bible School, we will explore what we learn from the Bible about families in our devotion this week.

One way that the New Testament describes families is a group of people living in the same house. The group might not be biologically related to each other, but they are still a family.

In this passage the apostle Paul shared principles for treating people who live in the same household. Some of the principles are, “Do not speak harshly to an older or younger man or to an older or younger woman. Honor widows”.  Paul went on to share teachings about how widows could stay spiritually connected to God.

You might have people who are living in your household who do not have a biological relationship with you. These people are still like your family. People who live in your household still present all the relationship challenges that family members present.

Today go out of your way to bless the people who are living with you. If you are single, pray for someone who is close to you whom you can bless. Honor these people just as the apostle Paul encouraged people in these verses to honor widows.

Tuesday, August 11

Luke 2:4

Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.

In this familiar verse we read that Joseph went to his hometown of Bethlehem to be counted in the mandatory census “because he was descended from the house and family of David.”

This extended lineage is a second way that people are described as family. Matthew’s gospel began with the genealogy of Jesus. This genealogy of Jesus can be thought of as his family.

Many of us are familiar with our ancestors. And with online web sites it’s easier than before to learn who our ancestors are. These people obviously are family.

Who in your ancestry is important to you? What qualities of someone in your family’s past do you especially appreciate. In what specific ways would you like to share the meaning of your own family by communicating these qualities?

In your prayers today, spend time giving thanks for particular people in your past. And pray that you can pass on qualities of people in your past that are especially important to you.

Wednesday, August 12

1 Corinthians 8:8-13

“Food will not bring us close to God.” We are no worse off if we do not eat and no better off if we do. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? So by your knowledge the weak brother or sister for whom Christ died is destroyed. But when you thus sin against brothers and sisters and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never again eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.

A third way to think of family is those who are connected to you through faith. Sometimes a congregation is called a “church family.” And though a congregation is not precisely a family (as connection to a congregation is voluntary and connection to a family is not) there certainly are qualities of congregations that are consistent with qualities of families.

In this passage the Apostle Paul teaches about the spiritual example that people can illustrate with others in a faith community. He discouraged people from eating food that was sacrificed to an idol. The principle that he was teaching was not to avoid the specific food that was being eaten; instead, it was the example of eating that food that some might believe should not be eaten. If followers of Jesus ate food that was sacrificed to idols, followers of Jesus were being poor role models in faith.

All of us are role models in faith to others. As you pray today, ask God to give you a clear understanding of how you can be a role model to your spiritual family.

Thursday, August 13

Genesis 4:1-8

Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have produced a man with the help of the Lord.” Next she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground. In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.  The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen?  If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.”

 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

We might think that families described in the Bible are not messy. This could not be further from the truth. The very first family suffered a murder. Cain killed his brother, Abel.

Most of us will not have to suffer something as horrible as a murder in our own family. But all of us can acknowledge that our families are messy.

In the past, Pastor Paul has encouraged people to identify their own families as messy. Don’t try to portray an image of the perfect family to others. Instead, be authentic, and be open to communicate the challenges you encounter in your family. This does not mean, of course, that everyone must know everything that is happening in your family. What it does mean is you are not defensive about the messiness in your own family. Do not be afraid to be authentic in acknowledging the challenges your family encounters.

Friday, August 14

Ruth 1:15-18

 So she said, “Look, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.”  But Ruth said,

“Do not press me to leave you,
    to turn back from following you!
Where you go, I will go;
    where you lodge, I will lodge;
your people shall be my people
    and your God my God.
Where you die, I will die,
    and there will I be buried.
May the Lord do thus to me,
    and more as well,
if even death parts me from you!”

When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.

These verses illustrate the passion that Ruth had for her mother-in-law, Naomi.

Ruth had experienced terrible loss. Her husband, brother-in-law, and father-in law had died. Naomi—her mother-in-law—encouraged Ruth to leave Naomi and find another husband.  A husband was essential for a woman’s welfare and well-being.

Orpah, Ruth’s sister-in-law, did leave Naomi to find another husband. But Ruth wanted to stay with Naomi.

Her words are significant. They reveal the passion that can keep a family together.

“Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die—there will I be buried. May the Lord to thus and so to me, and more as well, if even death parts me from you.” (Ruth 1:15b-17)

Saturday, August 15

Psalm 133

How very good and pleasant it is
    when kindred live together in unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head,
    running down upon the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
    running down over the collar of his robes.
It is like the dew of Hermon,
    which falls on the mountains of Zion.
For there the Lord ordained his blessing,
    life forevermore.

This Psalm illustrates a vision of what can happen when families live together with unity. The Psalm shares metaphors of blessings.

One metaphor is of oil running down someone’s beard. The oil represents blessings. When families love and care for each other these blessings overflow.

Another metaphor is the abundant dew on Mount Hermon. It represents the overwhelming number of blessings that happen when families live together in unity.

Think yourself of a metaphor that you would use to describe the blessings of a family living in unity. What would it be? Please share.

Monday, August 3

John 4:27-30

Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you want?” or, “Why are you speaking with her?” Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?” They left the city and were on their way to him.

This week we’re going to look at stories of strong women—women who are role models for any of us, no matter what our gender.

Jesus had the courage to confront stereotypes—and in this story he confronted a stereotype that a Samaritan woman should not be spoken to by a Jewish man.

The disciples came late into this story. Jesus and this woman had been talking for a while. We learn from the conversation that the woman was a Samaritan and that she had five husbands. Jesus shared that the man with whom she was living was not her husband.

Jesus never judged the woman—but the assumption underneath the story was that she was sexually promiscuous. Whether she was or not is not shared.

Jesus cared for this woman. He offered her living water - water that would spring up to eternal life. His message was not just for the elite of the world. He cared for her, no matter what her background. He was willing to confront a stereotype to help her.

What stereotypes in the world about women do you think it’s important to confront? Please share.

Tuesday, August 4

1 Samuel 1:12-18

As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying silently; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought she was drunk.  So Eli said to her, “How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Put away your wine.” But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time.” Then Eli answered, “Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him.” And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your sight.” Then the woman went her way and ate and drank with her husband, and her countenance was sad no longer

1 Samuel 2:1-10

Hannah prayed and said,

“My heart exults in the Lord;
    my strength is exalted in my God.
My mouth derides my enemies
    because I rejoice in your victory.

There is no Holy One like the Lord,
    no one besides you;
    there is no Rock like our God.
Talk no more so very proudly;
    let not arrogance come from your mouth,
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
    and by him actions are weighed.
The bows of the mighty are broken,
    but the feeble gird on strength.
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
    but those who were hungry are fat with spoil.
The barren has borne seven,
    but she who has many children is forlorn.
The Lord kills and brings to life;
    he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
    he brings low; he also exalts.
He raises up the poor from the dust;
    he lifts the needy from the ash heap
to make them sit with princes
    and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
    and on them he has set the world.

 He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,
    but the wicked will perish in darkness,
    for not by might does one prevail.
The Lord! His adversaries will be shattered;
    the Most High will thunder in heaven.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
    he will give strength to his king
    and exalt the power of his anointed.”

If you have the time, read all of chapters one and two in 1 Samuel. We learn about the strength of Hannah.

Hannah was not willing to accept the words spoken by a man that she knew were not true. Eli had made an assumption about Hannah. His assumption was that Hannah was drunk. Hannah knew this was not true and told him.

Hannah had the courage to stand up for herself despite a male in authority trying to bring her down.

Hannah went on to have a son, Samuel. This was quite amazing as at the start of the story she wasn’t able to have children.

The vision that Hannah shared in the first ten verses of the second chapter is an amazing vision that is relevant across time. Part of the vision is when the poor are lifted up from their status to be on the same plane as the rich and princes. It’s as if people who are homeless are given full love and mercy.

We wouldn’t know of this vision unless Hannah had stood up for herself by speaking the truth to Eli.

Who is/are a female(s) do you know who would speak the truth no matter what the consequences? Please share.

Wednesday, August 5

Genesis 1:26-31

Then God said, “Let us make humans in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over the cattle and over all the wild animals of the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”

So God created humans in his image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food.  And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the air and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.  God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

In the first creation story God made both men and female in God’s image. Not only were men made in God’s image, but females too.

There was no priority or hierarchy because of gender. Both males and females were seen as good.

This was the last act of God in this creation story. God created two people who had a different gender who were called to live on an equal status.

This vision of the first creation story is one of equality.

Sadly, this equality is not being lived out in our world. According to a government blog, on average, men are paid $1,219 per week and women $1,002. Earnings increase with education. With less than a high school diploma, men receive $745/week and women $594. With an advanced degree, men are paid $1,998 and women $1,546.

What is one specific act you can do to help move the world towards the vision of this Scripture? Please share.

Thursday, August 6

Mark 7:24-30

From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.”  But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.” And when she went home, she found the child lying on the bed and the demon gone.

This is a strange story that has caused much commentary. It is confusing why Jesus initially brushed off the request of this woman. Perhaps Jesus just wanted a break from life—he needed a Sabbath! At the start of the story, we read that he didn’t want anyone to recognize in this house that he was present.

But a woman recognized Jesus. And she approached him to ask for help for her daughter. Jesus gave a strange response at first. But this did not prevent the woman from persisting in her request. She was not going to take “no” for an answer. Even if Jesus was giving the answer!

She was eventually rewarded with the healing of her daughter. The request of the woman was not even for her own physical well-being—it was for her daughter.

Which women do you know who had the courage of the woman in this story? Please share.

Friday, August 7

Luke 1:39-56

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
 for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant.
    Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name;
indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones
    and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things
    and sent the rich away empty.
He has come to the aid of his child Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
    to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Mary was in a difficult spot. She was pregnant without being married. She knew the pregnancy was from God, but this was a difficult message to share. She’s the only person in history who has been impregnated by the Holy Spirit! Who would believe her?

Plus, her pregnancy as an unwed woman put her safety at risk.

So, she went to find Elizabeth, her cousin.

It didn’t matter to Elizabeth whether Mary was unmarried and pregnant. She wanted to bless Mary. She loved Mary and wanted the best for her.

Mary went on to share a beautiful song of praise. We know it as Magnificat. We wouldn’t be able to read the Magnificat if it had not been for Elizabeth’s acceptance of Mary.

Who is a woman who you know that will always accept you. No matter what has happened to you, you know this woman—like Elizabeth—will welcome you with open arms. Please share!

Saturday, August 8

Luke 24:1-12

 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to the hands of sinners and be crucified and on the third day rise again.” Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles.  But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.  But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.

The women had the courage to come to the tomb where they thought the body of Jesus lay. The male disciples had fled for fear of their own safety. The women did not flee. They came to the tomb to tend to what they expected to be the dead body of Jesus.

We know that Jesus was raised from the dead. And angel told the women this message. And the women ran from the tomb proclaiming the message of the resurrection.

In many churches today, women would not be welcome to share the message of the resurrection from a pulpit. They are not allowed to preach or to be ordained. This discrimination contradicts the Scriptures. If the women hadn’t preached the message of Jesus, then people would not have know that Jesus was raised.

Chain of Lakes Church robustly welcomes women as pastors and preachers and teachers. No discrimination exists. Sadly, Chain of Lakes is one of the few congregations in the north Metro who embraces this biblical teaching.

What are your thoughts about this passage? Please share.

Monday, July 27

Isaiah 40:27-31

Why do you say, O Jacob,
    and assert, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord,
    and my right is disregarded by my God”?
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
    his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint
    and strengthens the powerless.
 Even youths will faint and be weary,
    and the young will fall exhausted,
but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
    they shall walk and not faint.

Yesterday Pastor Paul continued his summer sermon series called “Road Trip” by talking about being weary. We might have times when we are weary on our faith journey. Our weariness is more than just physical. We are spiritually tired.

These verses from Isaiah are a marvelous response to being spiritually weary.

The chapter signifies a significant break in the book of Isaiah. It was written for people who had been exiled. Great pain had happened to a great number of people. This is why chapter 40 starts out with the words, “Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.” God was sharing comfort in this chapter.

Today’s verses share a response to being spiritually weary. The response is to continue to wait for the Lord. When we wait for the Lord and not give up, we have the possibility of having our strength renewed. To paraphrase the last part of verse 31, on our journey of faith we can run and not be weary, walk and not be faint.

Waiting for the Lord is hard. It requires patience, faith, and the ability to hope.

What does waiting for the Lord mean to you? Have you had a time when you were waiting for the Lord? What happened? Please share.

Tuesday, July 28

Isaiah 43:22-24

Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob;
    but you have been weary of me, O Israel!
You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings
    or honored me with your sacrifices.
I have not burdened you with offerings
    or wearied you with frankincense.
You have not bought me sweet cane with money
    or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices.
Rather, you have burdened me with your sins;
    you have wearied me with your iniquities.

When the people of Israel and Judah went into exile a rupture took place between God and them. This was a significant crisis of faith for the people.

God addressed this crisis in these verses. God felt that the people had abandoned God. Despite all the warnings about what might happen if the people turn away from practicing their faith, the people still turned away. God felt that the people had grown weary of the divine.

We can feel the pain of God in these verses. God was not a dispassionate observer of what happened in the world. To use a human term, God experienced emotions. God was sad.

And God was weary of the people’s turning away from the divine. We read about this in the last verse.

What are your thoughts about this passage? Please share.

Wednesday, July 29

Isaiah 50:4-11

The Lord God has given me
    a trained tongue,
that I may know how to sustain
    the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens,
    wakens my ear
    to listen as those who are taught.
The Lord God has opened my ear,
    and I was not rebellious;
    I did not turn backward.
I gave my back to those who struck me
    and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I did not hide my face
    from insult and spitting.

 The Lord God helps me;
    therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
    and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
    he who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
    Let us stand in court together.
Who are my adversaries?
    Let them confront me.
It is the Lord God who helps me;
    who will declare me guilty?
All of them will wear out like a garment;
    the moth will eat them up.

Who among you fears the Lord
    and obeys the voice of his servant,
who walks in darkness
    and has no light,
yet trusts in the name of the Lord
    and relies upon his God?
But all of you are kindlers of fire,
    lighters of firebrands.
Walk in the flame of your fire
    and among the brands that you have kindled!
This is what you shall have from my hand:
    you shall lie down in torment.

These verses are complimenting God for helping the servant (Isaiah) in reaching out to people who are weary. In Isaiah we read four passages that are described as servant songs. We can find them in Isaiah 42:1-4, Isaiah 50:4-11, Isaiah 52:13-53:12, and this reading.

God did this by making the divine presence known.

The servant had great confidence in God despite the weariness that had been experienced. The Lord God had helped the servant avoid being disgraced (verse 7). The Lord God had How helped the servant (verse 9).

Because of these experiences the servant could encourage others to follow God. “Walk in the flame of your fire, and among the brands that you have kindled!” wrote the servant. The relationship brought significant energy!

What are your thoughts about this passage? Please share.

Thursday, July 30

Psalm 6:6-10

I am weary with my moaning;
    every night I flood my bed with tears;
    I drench my couch with my weeping.
My eyes waste away because of grief;
    they grow weak because of all my foes.

Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
    for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
The Lord has heard my supplication;
    the Lord accepts my prayer.
All my enemies shall be ashamed and struck with terror;
    they shall turn back and in a moment be put to shame.

The writer of this Psalm was in great trouble. This Psalm is one of seven penitential Psalms. The other six are Psalm 32, 38, 51, 102 & 143. They are called penitential because the writer expresses regret or penitence.

The writer of the Psalm was weary with moaning. He had prayed so often that he was tired of prayer.

At the end of these verses, we receive a note of hope. The writer experienced that presence of God. God had heard the many prayers and accepted them. We are not told that the prayers were answered, but it’s not hard to believe that they were.

What are your thoughts about this reading? Please share.

Friday, July 31

Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

These are words that Pastor Paul shares when he starts the Communion ritual. When people receive Communion, they receive rest. This is not physical rest, but instead a spiritual rest. People are connected to God. If people are weary or are carrying heavy burdens, they can be let go with God. God can receive them thus giving freedom to the person who is releasing them.

Finding rest for our soul is a powerful experience of completeness.

Think about the spiritual rest people receive when they participate in Communion. In Communion participants encounter a force that is far greater than them. This force is more than an energy that shares God—this is God. This experience of God is very fulfilling. It completes people who experience it.

We might have had times in our journey of faith where celebrating Communion was quite memorable. Something was happening that caused the Lord’s Supper to be quite meaningful.

What experiences in Communion have you had that helped you experience the beautiful rest that is talked about in these verses. Please share as your story may help others who are doubting the power and importance of Communion.

Saturday, August 1

Galatians 6:9-10

So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.  So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all and especially for those of the family of faith.

“Let us not grow weary in doing what is right,” wrote the Apostle Paul. These words leap off the page of the Bible into our own life. We are not called to get tired or be weary of doing the right thing, of helping those who are doing right, of serving the least of these.

Of course, this does not mean that we are doing wrong if we experience some level of burnout or actually are tired of serving. The point is God does not want us to stay in that place.

God is willing to help us let go of this weariness.

Pastor Paul talked this past Sunday that it is not wrong to become weary, but if we stay weary for an extended time it is time to reach out for help. God does not want us to experience extended weariness.

Have you had a season in your faith journey where you felt a strong sense of worry? What happened? How were you able to leave that place? What can your example teach those who are experiencing weariness today?

Monday, July 20

Mark 9:14

When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them and some scribes arguing with them.

This week we will do a Bible Study on the Scripture that was read this past Sunday—Mark 9:14-29. In this story we hear about Jesus healing a boy and the response of the father of the boy. We can also find the story in Matthew 17:14-20 & Luke 9:37-43a. We read more detail in Mark’s telling of the story than in the other two gospels.

Jesus and his closest followers, Peter, John, and James had just come down from the mountain. They had a powerful experience in the story of the Transfiguration. The events were so powerful that Peter did not want to come down from the mountain. He wanted to stay to continue to enjoy the experience.

But if Jesus and his closest followers had not come down from the mountain, this healing of the boy would have never taken place.

When Jesus and his followers came upon this scene, a large crowd was arguing with the scribes. We are not told the details of the argument, but we can make educated guesses. The scribes were a group of people who were part of the religious establishment. Scribes were well educated. Their profession was to write down and study the Torah. We can infer that the scribes and the crowd had a disagreement or argument about faith. The scribes had a narrow view of who could be religious.

Have you found yourself having an argument about faith? This argument would be more than a discussion—it was a passionate conversation where you disagreed with another person.

What was the argument like? What was at stake for you in the argument? Please share.

Tuesday, July 21

Mark 9:15-18

When the whole crowd saw him, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him.  He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak, and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid, and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so.”

The crowds were thrilled to see Jesus. They were overcome with awe and ran forward to greet him. Jesus was welcomed like a hero who was coming to rescue people.

The problem of this story is shared in the verses we read today. A young boy had a spirit that was causing him harm. He couldn’t speak; when he was “seized,” he foamed at the mouth and ground his teeth and became rigid. (Mark 9:18)

He was probably suffering from epilepsy. Mark and others did not have the scientific knowledge that you and I have access to now. They thought the boy had a spirit who caused these actions.

The disciples were not able to heal the boy. But they could have.

Imagine being the father of the boy and having to live with the seizures. It had to be oppressive.

We might have had stories of living with the health concerns of our children. Do you have a story of responding to the health concerns of your children or a story of another adult responding to the health concerns of their children?

Please share.

Wednesday, July 22

Mark 9:19

He answered them, “You faithless generation, how much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.”

The response of Jesus to the disciple’s inability to heal the boy is odd. Jesus criticized a generation of people for their lack of faith. He wondered aloud how long he was going to have to be with this faithless generation.

To say that the general group of people seems harsh. But perhaps it was a prelude of the death of Jesus. Jesus was killed because of lack of faith; most of the disciples fled when Jesus was killed—another example of lack of faith.

What Jesus said was true—the wider culture did lack faith. But the tone of his words was not consistent with the loving and compassionate Jesus that many of us have come to know.

Jesus uttered almost the same words in Mark 8:12 when the Pharisees asked him for a sign from heaven. That response by Jesus seems more appropriate. He criticized the Pharisees for asking for a sign.

What are your thoughts about this verse? Please share.

Thursday, July 23

Mark 9:20-22

And they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, help us! Have compassion on us!”

Jesus asked that the boy be brought to him. When the boy was brought to him, he suffered from a seizure.

We receive a glimpse of the frustration of the father when Jesus asked him how long the boy had struggled with seizures. He responded that it was from childhood. “It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you [Jesus] are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us.” Mark 9:22

The man did not doubt Jesus’ ability to heal the boy. Most likely he didn’t know Jesus well enough to know that Jesus had the qualities of a healer. The man’s response was more ignorance than anything else.

What are your thoughts about this part of the story? Please share.

Friday, July 24

Mark 9:23-24

Jesus said to him, “If you are able! All things can be done for the one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

These two verses share the central message of the story. Jesus said, “All things can be done for the one who believes.” Mark 9:23

Jesus was not saying that a person must believe to be healed. This would be “works righteousness” meaning that a person must perform a certain number of good works—then and only then can the person receive what they want.

Jesus does not ask us to work our way into being healed.

In his statement Jesus was sharing that he had power to heal. He could do all things for people.

At the end of the story, we see the power of Jesus to heal in the story.

The man cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief.” Mark 9:24

The man did see his belief as a part of the healing of his son. He had belief, but he also had significant unbelief.

What is interesting is that belief and unbelief can exist in the same person. It is not that a person has a hundred percent belief and a zero percent unbelief; and vice versa.

Any of us could have shared these words said by the father. It is rare for a person to have a hundred percent belief.

What are your thoughts about the father’s statement? Please share.

Saturday, July 25

Mark 9:25-29

When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You spirit that keeps this boy from speaking and hearing, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!” After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he was able to stand. When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “This kind can come out only through prayer.”

It is not surprising to us that Jesus healed the boy. Jesus often healed people in the gospels. We know this because we have read these stories.

But it had to be surprising for the people in this story to see Jesus heal the boy. They were not expecting that Jesus would bring the dead boy back to life.

The disciples were confused by why they could not do what Jesus had done—brought him back. Jesus told them that his actions could only be done through prayer. His statement makes us wonder if the disciples had been praying for help.

Prayer is much more nuanced than, “my prayers were not answered, my lack of faith caused this to happen.”

Sometimes good things just happen to us—they have nothing to do with our faith.

What are your thoughts about the end of this story? Please share.