Temptation to Tangible

“And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.” -Mark 9:29

As long as we are in this world, the temptation to trust in what we see is in us.  Humans are sight creatures by nature, and prone to solutions that offer tangible results; and if those results happen quickly, that’s even better.  Spiritual concepts, unseen truths; words such as belief and faith are contrary to us. However, they are real, necessary, and more powerful than anything that is seen. 

Jesus said: “This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.”  These words came at the conclusion of a conversation between Jesus, a father, and his son.  The father’s son was afflicted with a foul spirit that caused him hurt and pain.  This no doubt caused the father hurt and pain. Therefore, the father brought him to Jesus pleading for help.  Jesus told him that all things were possible to them that believe. This a hard thing to a Dad who most likely spent his life trying to heal his boy.  A father who spent his life believing in the tangible.  Trusting in the tangible.  I imagine he took him to every healer, called on every physician, and spent his life savings in hopes to help his son. I mean, what wouldn't a parent do for their children?  The natural options bankrupted him and here he was coming to Jesus, Jesus had helped so many, and unlike others, Jesus’s price was only belief. The father replies, speaking the heart of many before and after him, “Lord I believe help mine unbelief.”  Jesus heals the boy and the disciples confess they could not. Why could they not? It was not the father’s unbelief but their own, which is why; no doubt, Christ exhorted them to prayer and fasting.  Prayer is communication with God that disconnects us from the nature and brings us into the spiritual. When we pray, we recognize His providence, yield to His direction, and ask for His guidance; for His help.  In faith, we lift our petitions and in His time, in His will, they are granted. This discipline strengthens our belief. The same can be said for fasting. Fasting can include but not limited to, habitual abstention from food. Fasting, like prayer (or rather coupled with prayer), brings us away from the natural things of this world and closer to the spiritual.  When we abstain from things which promote the world and ourselves (social media, entertainment media, and amusement venues, for example), it causes us to see more clearly the things of God, which helps us to trust in God, thereby strengthening our belief in God.  The temptation is to the tangible things in life for healing a sickness that is spiritual.  Jesus is the only healer of our soul and Savior of our lost condition, nothing seen can cast out the sin within.  We must have Jesus for our salvation, and for the salvation of others.  When we consider that all things are possible to them that believe.  Does it not follow that we should be in rigor to practice every discipline, which will promote belief?  Should we not consider, as the people of God, every opportunity to save them that are lost, hurting, and broken?  If we who are Disciples of Christ cannot believe to save, then who can?  There is not one among us who can say they have nothing to do for God, if in prayer and fasting we can strengthen belief in Jesus Christ. 

The work of God is evident when it is far away missions, preaching to masses, and mighty movements of evangelism (as it should be).  That said, the work of God is not limited to tangible, oh no, we can/should do the work of God in our own living room; daily praying, reading, and fasting.  We should do all we can to “help our unbelief;” because when ask “what shall we do, that we might work the works of God?”  Jesus replied: “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”