Expressions of Faith

Reading: Mark 5

"But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoke, said to the synagogue official, 'Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.'" Mark 5:36

Evaluation:

In this chapter I see three very distinct expressions of faith. One is a man who does not start out seeking Christ, another is a women who dared to just touch the robe of Jesus, and finally there is Jarius' choice to believe in Christ's power over unimaginable circumstances. In each of these three I see a lesson I can learn.

Application:

From the demon possessed man I can learn that I can trust Christ to grab hold of me even when I am resisting Him. This man did not run to Christ seeking a change in life. Actually, he ran to Christ imploring Him to leave him alone. Christ reached out and healed him in spite of himself. In the same way I have to learn to trust God to not allow me to fall too far. My faith can never be based on my ability to make wise choices. I must rest in the never ending grace of God reaching out and offering me a clean slate.

From the woman I can learn that I am never too dirty to approach Christ. That was her fear. In her day her health problem left her unclean. In short, she was untouchable. Her perception of herself made it an incredible risk for her to reach out to Jesus. But she did. There are many days that my attitudes, failures, or frustrations leave me feeling like I am not worthy of approaching Christ or afraid of what might happen if I do come to Him. In these moments I must always remember that even the slightest step towards faith can result in me finding the healing I need.

From Jarius I can learn that the only voice I need to hear is the whisper of my Savior. Everyone in Jarius' life told him it was hopeless. Everything inside of Jarius agreed with their assessment of his reality. But in the end the only voice that mattered was the whisper of the Savior. Underneath the weight of bad times the only thing I want to hear of see is a solution. I need to learn to stop seeking answers and start listening for the whisper of Christ saying to me, "Do not be afraid any longer, only believe."

Prayer:

My preferred outcomes, selfish desires, and thirst for success often cloud my judgment and wreak havoc on my emotions. These things often come together and create ample opportunity for me to doubt my faith and doubt in You. I recognize these things in me and just acknowledge them before You.

Father, You alone are worthy of my hope and faith. There is nothing in You that ever disappoints or ever leaves without completing its intended purpose. I pray that You empower me to surrender fully to Your desired intent for my life. In the darkest of moments, under the toughest of circumstances and in the most unlikely of places I pray that I be able to hear and respond to Your gentle whisper reminding me to holdfast and just believe.