No Ifs, Ands, or Buts
“Teacher, I brought my child to you who has a spirit of speechlessness. And whenever it overtakes my child, it throws them down and they foam and grind their teeth and my child becomes paralyzed, and I asked your disciples to cast it out and your disciples were not able.” Mark 9:17-18 (Gafney, A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church: Year B)
I can’t help but read this text through the eyes of a parent who has had to fight very, very hard for my child. This parent was their child’s advocate. But Jesus’ followers were like, “eh, we can’t help you.” I don’t know if they were too busy, or if they just didn’t know what to do. But what’s obvious is that Jesus is frustrated. With whom he was frustrated is at the core of the teaching in this story.
They told the story, again, to Jesus, listing the symptoms. And at the end, you can hear them repeating the main ask: “If you are able to do anything to help us, have pity on us.”
You’ve gotta remember: Jesus is quick. He doesn’t miss a beat. So he goes to the heart of the parent’s plea, the problem that’s clear. “If you are able,” when you’re the Son of God, is interesting to hear. If you are able, help me. If you are able, heal my child. If you are able, cast away this spirit, now and forever. If.
Now imagine Jesus, hearing this. Knowing that, of course, he has the capacity to address this family’s deepest needs. From his perspective, of course he is able. Of course he sees the precise solution.
And this is the problem, or let me say, the big challenge of faith. God knows us. And God sees the solution.
And God looks at us with the lens of: it is done. It is accomplished. The solution is in the works. God says: my healing is not an if. It is a yes. It may not show up in the way you imagined. But my imagination is broader and fully sufficient. No ifs ands or buts about it.
Prayer
God, help me to see the completion—your completion—to my deepest needs. In Jesus’ name.
About the AuthorKaji Douša is the Senior Pastor of The Park Avenue Christian Church, a congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ, in New York City.