We are in this section of Mark’s Gospel which is very much about following Jesus.
You might think of what we read up through chapter 8 as presenting this question:
Have you witnessed enough about Jesus, that even though you have more questions, you will follow him?
Peter’s answer in 8:29 is an emphatic “YES!”
Following Jesus is not something you do after all your questions have been answered to your satisfaction, it is instead a question of faith.
Which is why most people love the father’s reaction in this story.
The scene of course is troubling. We feel for the young man tortured from childhood. We ache for the father and understand his pleading. We’ve known the frustration of unanswered prayer.
Mark is not connecting disconnected stories. He is showing us what the road looks like when you follow Jesus.
In one moment, you are on the mountain top with him. You’re swept up in his glory and reveling in the fellowship. It is so magnificent you barely know anyone else is around.
Then, in the blink of an eye you go from being only with Jesus, to being engulfed in a crowd. The scene moves from clarity and celebration to chaos and confusion.
Has your faith journey ever taken this sort of dramatic turn?
Fortunately, you have a fellow traveler—the father who runs to Jesus.
Like him, we have said our prayers. Like him, we have wondered about the Lord’s answer.
Jesus’ response sounds a bit like exasperation, sometimes the Teacher needs uses emotion to make a point to the students. I think that is what Jesus is doing here.
His tone leads to the disciples asking why they were unsuccessful—which is a great response. Consider the number of times they don’t ask him questions or for help.
Jesus gives a short answer. Pray more.
By which he means stay connected to Him. So often we view prayer as an exercise we do in order to be stronger. Prayer will make us stronger, but there is so much more.
If we view prayer as something we do so we are more effective, then we miss the point. Prayer keeps us connected to Jesus and therefore to the Father.
We can do nothing apart from Jesus.
Jesus is not looking for us to say our prayers and then go take on the world without Him. No, he wants us to always be connected to Him. He tells us he will never forsake us.
Yes, this story again shows Jesus’ power, and it shows us an all too real-life situation where we, as his followers, face the daily challenges of our world, and our need to stay connected to him.
When you pray, are you praying to stay connected with him, or to “fill up” and go it alone?