Friends in Christ,
Mark 6:1-6
In life, it seems that little or nothing can be done if the atmosphere is wrong. Teachers can’t teach if the class resists. Business people can’t sell if the clients are not interested. Sports teams don’t win when there is dissension among the teammates.
Today’s gospel tells us that lack of faith can have the effect of closing the door on wonders that God may want to accomplish in our lives. Even Jesus himself could not perform any mighty deed in his own hometown because of the Nazarenes’ unbelief (Mark 6:6).
Let’s face it. We all have periods of weak faith. Abraham (Genesis 17:15-22), Moses (Numbers 11:21-23; 20:9-13), the apostles (Matthew 17:14-21; Mark 16:14), and Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist (Luke 1:18-20) each had their moments of doubt. But each of these also overcame their unbelief and came back to the Lord. Their stories tell us that our faith is going to be tested and that these tests can cause us to slip into times of doubt and unbelief.
As a counterbalance to these stories of doubt and unbelief, Scripture also tells us about people who were filled with remarkable faith during trying or troubled times. The centurion (Matthew 8:5-13), a leper (Mark 1:40-44), Bartimaeus (10:46-52), and the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21-28) all kept their faith in Jesus and were deeply rewarded.
At the Last Supper, Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to comfort us, to teach us, and to strengthen our faith. Every day, the Holy Spirit is with us, establishing an atmosphere of faith so that Jesus can work freely in us and through us. He is like the sun burning away the darkness or like a cool breeze blowing away the mists of doubt. All he asks is that we turn to face his light, that we open ourselves to his gentle movement. Then our doubts will fade, and our faith will grow. All we need is the right environment, and we too can see wonders in our day!
“Dear Jesus, let your Holy Spirit shine on me. I believe in you. Help my unbelief. Come and increase my faith.”
Ezekiel 2:2-5; Psalm 123:1-4; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Today’s gospel tells us that lack of faith can have the effect of closing the door on wonders that God may want to accomplish in our lives. Even Jesus himself could not perform any mighty deed in his own hometown because of the Nazarenes’ unbelief (Mark 6:6).
Let’s face it. We all have periods of weak faith. Abraham (Genesis 17:15-22), Moses (Numbers 11:21-23; 20:9-13), the apostles (Matthew 17:14-21; Mark 16:14), and Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist (Luke 1:18-20) each had their moments of doubt. But each of these also overcame their unbelief and came back to the Lord. Their stories tell us that our faith is going to be tested and that these tests can cause us to slip into times of doubt and unbelief.
As a counterbalance to these stories of doubt and unbelief, Scripture also tells us about people who were filled with remarkable faith during trying or troubled times. The centurion (Matthew 8:5-13), a leper (Mark 1:40-44), Bartimaeus (10:46-52), and the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21-28) all kept their faith in Jesus and were deeply rewarded.
At the Last Supper, Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to comfort us, to teach us, and to strengthen our faith. Every day, the Holy Spirit is with us, establishing an atmosphere of faith so that Jesus can work freely in us and through us. He is like the sun burning away the darkness or like a cool breeze blowing away the mists of doubt. All he asks is that we turn to face his light, that we open ourselves to his gentle movement. Then our doubts will fade, and our faith will grow. All we need is the right environment, and we too can see wonders in our day!
“Dear Jesus, let your Holy Spirit shine on me. I believe in you. Help my unbelief. Come and increase my faith.”
Ezekiel 2:2-5; Psalm 123:1-4; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
So we stand at the beginning of a new week, may we ask God's Blessing on all we are going to undertake.
Ed Bakker
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