We live in a culture of control.
Through technology, we have an amazing amount of control over information and access to all kinds of services. We are used to getting most anything we want (within reason) anytime we want: food on demand, entertainment on demand, online shopping, and much more.
But there are times when things don’t always work “on demand.”
In February 2019, Sarah and I were on the Sea of Galilee with our tour group, crossing from Capernaum to Kibbutz Ein Gev on the eastern shore where we always get “St. Peter’s Fish” with our groups.
Sarah had just finished praying with a woman who had been diagnosed with cancer. I walked over to her, and she looked puzzled.
“What am I doing with this?” she asked, holding up a black coat.
“That’s the coat you borrowed from your mom for our trip here to Israel.”
“Israel?? Where are we?”
My mind started racing. She wasn’t joking…
“What have I been doing?” Sarah asked.
“You just finished praying with Babette because she’s been diagnosed with cancer…”
“Babette has cancer?!” Sarah asked with genuine surprise and alarm.
Obviously, we had a very serious problem on our hands. I don’t recall when I have ever felt so powerless.
I prayed immediately, “Lord, have mercy on Sarah and on all of us.”
Then I remembered (that is, the Holy Spirit reminded me!) that about a year ago, a member of our congregation had told me about an unusual experience he had with a sudden-but-brief episode of memory loss. It’s called transient global amnesia.
I immediately called over our daughter, KJ, and her husband, Brett who were traveling with us. I asked KJ to look up transient global amnesia on the internet. “Dad, this fits what’s going on exactly!”
When we docked for lunch, our guide called a host couple that work with our travel agency’s tour groups. They drove 30 minutes to pick us up and took us to the main hospital in Tiberias, Galilee.
As we rode to the hospital, Sarah spoke with Bonnie (from the hospitality team), remembering more and more. I was so relieved, but knew we had to follow through on the assessment.
There’s much more to this story, but let me just say that, after five hours in the ER, the diagnosis was confirmed: transient global amnesia. She regained her full memory and has been fine ever since.
I am so grateful, but I will never forget how powerless I felt when Sarah’s episode began.
I thank the Lord our story has a happy ending. But we all know there are many stories that don’t end this way. And some of you are living one right now.
So how do we experience our living Lord’s power and care when we feel powerless?
The account of Jesus’ healing a desperate father’s son, when the disciples were powerless to do so, gives us a key insight (see Mark 9:14-29).
When Jesus arrived (following his transfiguration) the father pleaded with him, “If you can do anything…”
“’If you can?’” said Jesus, “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Contrary to many interpreters, I think Jesus’ tone of voice was kind, not mocking. Gently encouraging, not sarcastic.
Biblical scholar Dr. Jim Edwards says Jesus’ response makes it very clear that “it is not a matter of divine unwillingness, nor a problem of divine inability, but human unbelief.”
In fact, the father’s profession, “I believe, help my unbelief,” was enough! The boy was healed instantly.
Faith is not a quantity that can be measured, nor a feeling we must produce. Faith is a quality of trusting. Faith is the trust we exercise when we intentionally nurture confidence in both God’s character and God’s grace shown in Jesus Christ.
When I felt absolutely powerless and cried out to the Lord, the Lord worked.
When we reach the end of our resources, we discover God’s unlimited love and power for those who believe.
Heart and Mind 