Ponderings

April 16, 2012

We Return Now To Our Journey Through Luke

Luke 9

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy

³⁷ The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. ³⁸ A man in the crowd called out, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. ³⁹ A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. ⁴⁰ I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not."

⁴¹ "You unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here."

⁴² Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. ⁴³ And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

 

 

More than likely the child mentioned here is suffering from epilepsy, but in that culture it is attributed to the demonic. Had you and I lived in that time, we would not be any more enlightened per the true condition. Sometimes we moderns forget that what seems as ignorance is nothing more than cultural awareness and perception at a given time. Someday our perceptions and our knowledge will be overshadowed by new wisdom and advanced knowledge. That's the nature of history and God's progressive action.

 

Jesus seems to overreact when he learns the disciples couldn't drive out the demon. He's basically, however, upset with the people and their lack of faith; believing it seems that their lack of faith is why the disciples couldn't bring healing. Perhaps what we're seeing here is Jesus worn down by all that he's seen in his three years of his ministry and mission. Remember, as we've noted before, Jesus was in so many ways one who experienced all the highs and lows of the rest of us; all the highs and lows of normal humanity. As you read this text, you can't help but feel some tension in Jesus' voice as he says, Bring your son here.

 

What stands out for me most of all in this passage is the response of the people once Jesus heals the boy. Luke says, And they were all amazed at the greatness of God. Now that is a statement with which we all can resonate . . . being amazed at the greatness of God. I would hope that each of us, even in our scientifically and technologically advanced society, is still amazed at the greatness of God. I certainly am.

 

If each of us does inventory of our life journey, even with all its challenges and disappointments, we can't help but be thankful and feel blessed. What if this week you did just that - took an actual inventory of all the blessings and joys of your life; all the ways God has been good to you; the many times God has given you the very strength and wisdom you need when you most needed it.

 

What a great spiritual place to be . . . constantly amazed at the greatness of God!