The Daily Devotional of The Upper Room Devotion of Nashville, Tennessee, United States "What Else Is There?" for Wednesday, 6 April 2016 with Scripture Text Mark 9:14-29

The Daily Devotional of The Upper Room Devotion of Nashville, Tennessee, United States "What Else Is There?" for Wednesday, 6 April 2016 with Scripture Text Mark 9:14 When they got back to the talmidim, they saw a large crowd around them and some Torah-teachers arguing with them. 15 As soon as the crowd saw him, they were surprised and ran out to greet him. 16 He asked them, “What’s the discussion about?” 17 One of the crowd gave him the answer: “Rabbi, I brought my son to you because he has an evil spirit in him that makes him unable to talk. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground — he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth and becomes stiff all over. I asked your talmidim to drive the spirit out, but they couldn’t do it.” 19 “People without any trust!” he responded. “How long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me!” 20 They brought the boy to him; and as soon as the spirit saw him, it threw the boy into a convulsion. 21 Yeshua asked the boy’s father, “How long has this been happening to him?” “Ever since childhood,” he said; 22 “and it often tries to kill him by throwing him into the fire or into the water. But if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us!” 23 Yeshua said to him, “What do you mean, ‘if you can’? Everything is possible to someone who has trust!” 24 Instantly the father of the child exclaimed, “I do trust — help my lack of trust!” 25 When Yeshua saw that the crowd was closing in on them, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You deaf and dumb spirit! I command you: come out of him, and never go back into him again!” 26 Shrieking and throwing the boy into a violent fit, it came out. The boy lay there like a corpse, so that most of the people said he was dead. 27 But Yeshua took him by the hand and raised him to his feet, and he stood up.
28 After Yeshua had gone indoors, his talmidim asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 29 He said to them “This is the kind of spirit that can be driven out only by prayer.”
Paul wrote, “[The Lord] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me."[2 Corinthians 12:9 (NRSV)]
We lost our only son to suicide; our daughter lost her only sibling. Even though we have had other losses, this has been the most devastating loss we have experienced as a family.
My daughter asked me recently if my faith in God has held.
Is my faith enough?
I thought about this a long time. My faith had surely been tested; and I had experienced times of despair, doubt, sorrow, and even anger. I had read scripture, prayed more than ever before, attended church, participated in a grief group, and received comfort from friends. Still, I was not yet able to answer her question. I mentioned the conversation to a friend who said, “But what else is there? What is the alternative to faith?” My friend’s response went to the heart of the question. I had my answer: Yes, my faith is holding. The grace Jesus offers is sufficient.
My faith may not be as strong as I would like it to be, and I have more questions than answers about my son’s death. I do believe my faith will see me through my earthly life. Nothing is better than my holding to faith in Jesus Christ. With the father in today’s reading, I cry, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
Read more from the author, here.
"More from Mary Penny"
I wrote this meditation soon after our son's death. I have lost both my parents, but they both had lived a long, fulfilling life. It was the natural progression of life and death. I always thought that to lose a child would be the worst loss a person could have. It is not a natural thing to plan your child's funeral and burial. A child should not die before the parent. I remember wishing a few days after John's suicide that I had been the one to die and my family was planning my funeral. I now know what overwhelming grief is.
Holy Week brought to mind the sufferings of Christ. And then on Easter Sunday we experienced the glorious resurrection. I never lost my faith. It has been almost three years now and what a journey it has been. I have discovered things about myself and my family. In some ways grief is a solitary experience. We help one another as best we can, but I think we have to learn ways to cope in our own way and timeline. I truly believe God provides opportunities for us to cope if we but keep that relationship with Him intact. I am thankful I have a personal relationship with my Lord and cannot even remember not having that connection. I was raised in a Christian home and married a Christian man. I have recently submitted a meditation on finding solace. We do not lose the sadness of our loss, but we do have to learn to live with it. There is the heart of the matter--finding ways to live with loss and go on with life. I really do not like the phrase "getting on with your life." It always sounds like you are healed and life is good again. Now I see that is not what is meant by that group of words. It does mean, in my opinion, that a person continues living but in a changed way. I am more compassionate and more patient. I think God still has a plan for me for good. My goal is to keep on the way to that good.[Mary J. Penny]
The Author: Mary J. Penny (Alabama, USA)
Thought for the Day: God is always with us — whatever our circumstances.
Prayer: May we never abandon our faith, Lord, because we know you will never abandon us. Help us to hold on to your promises of hope and eternity. Amen.
Prayer focus: Families affected by suicide
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