If You Can?!

OK, so I know that I said that I was starting a series. I said that I'd post every week. And Tuesdays are supposed to be the days that I post. However, I'm feeling a bit like James Dean this week, and I have put off the JESUS Film series for a week. Maybe I'll write Part Two on Tuesday. MAYBE.

This week, however, we will look at a verse that seems to define our lives, either in one extreme or the other. The section we will be looking at Mark 9:22-27, which reads:

"22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." 23 And Jesus said to him, "'If you can'! All things are possible for one who believes." 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said,"I believe; help my unbelief!" 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again." 26 And 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." 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose." -Mark 9:22-27, ESV

How many of us are like the father in this episode? We have a desire to see God work in our lives, but we are not willing to put the faith in Him to do His work. This is a massive problem in churches. We have processed and processed and processed the modern church and worship service like the insides of a chicken nugget (that is a lot of processing). We have timed everything out and put Jesus in a box. And why is that, one may ask? We keep saying what the dad here said: "But if you can do anything, have compassion and help us." IF?! What do you mean IF?!

It's really easy for us to look at the father here and say, "he clearly doesn't believe in an all-powerful God that can do whatever the crap He wants." Yet, think about it: do you REALLY live like God can help you in anything? Do you think that Jesus Christ is right beside you, watching over you, or do you tend to be a bit headstrong? Do you tend to want to take control of the situation, and pull God out of the equation?

If you answered no, you probably are lying or you fit into extreme number two: you expect God to do everything. This involves a refusal to take control of anything, and you just sit idly by, waiting for God to bring His work to you AND do it for you. Too bad Scripture says; "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men" (Colossians 3:23). Working heartily for the Lord doesn't seem to allow room for letting the Lord work for you.

We must find the balance between these two in our lives. It is a struggle, but well worth it. We are made to depend on God's strength and leadership, but we also are expected to carry our portion. Let's try to find a happy medium, and rely on God do His part while we gladly do our part. And how do we do this?

"This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting." -Mark 9:29, HCSB

I challenge you: pray and fast before God, asking Him to reveal the areas in your life that you need to let Him work, and also to reveal where you need to step up and do it yourself.