How Much Faith Do I Need?

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Mark 9:17-29 "A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” 19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” 20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” 23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. 
Today Jesus heals a young boy with a demonic spirit that throws him down into a seizure.  The boy's father brought his son to the disciples but they could not drive the demon out.  Although the father has enough faith to bring his son to Jesus for healing, he thinks he does not have enough faith to believe him to actually heal him.  While he has some sense of faith in Jesus, he does not feel it is enough to warrant Jesus doing a miracle. So he says, "I believe help my unbelief!"  It seems like an oxymoron but I don't think it is.  Why?
Jesus talked about faith the size of mustard seed, which though the smallest of seeds grows and gives shade to a whole garden.  He talks about a little amount of yeast that leavens the whole dough and likens it to faith.  Faith at it's most basic level is trust.  The man trusted just enough to ask Jesus to heal his boy, though he wasn't one hundred percent sure it could or would happen.  It didn't help that Jesus' disciples could not deliver the boy from the demon.  The man assumed Jesus' disciples could do the same things Jesus did.  But they could not.   Jesus saw the man's "mustard seed" faith and drove the demon out of him.  Jesus honored the man's seeking him with the level of faith he had.  I am sure the man's faith grew in leaps and bounds that day.  
So what is the point of this lesson?  I believe it is helpful to realize that sometimes our faith is strong and sometimes it is weak, but it is still faith.  Though Jesus wants us to grow in our faith, he still honors faith whenever he finds it.  Where are you struggling in your faith life?  In what situation might you say to Jesus, "I believe help my unbelief"?  The man in the story believed just enough to bring his son to Jesus in faith he could heal him, will you do the same? 

    

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