Believe
“While he [Jesus] was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?’ But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, ‘Do not fear, only believe.’”
We know from the earlier part of this passage that the synagogue ruler’s name was Jairus. He had fought through the massive crowds surrounding Jesus in an act of sheer desperation, for his daughter lay dying back at home and he knew that the only hope for her would be found in the One who had developed a reputation for performing miracles. And Jesus had agreed to go with him to see her. But the crowd was stifling as it “thronged about him.” (Mark 5:24). You can imagine how difficult it was to make forward progress toward Jairus’s home. They were further delayed by a woman who desperately wanted to receive healing from Jesus – and was granted it simply by touching His garment (see Mark 5:25-34). Jesus comforted her with the words, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your disease.” (v. 34).
You can understand the anxiety of Jairus in the moment, knowing that every second counted, literally, and here they were, moving at a snail’s pace. And then to get the word that, “Your daughter is dead,” must have drained any remaining trace of hope from Jairus’s being. And just as he was about to succumb to immeasurable grief and anguish, Jesus lifted him up with the words, “Do not fear, only believe.” (v. 36b). Note that belief is suggested as an antidote to fear. Fear and faith cannot coexist. A short time later, Jesus was telling them to give her something to eat, for He had healed her, and she was very much alive. (See Mark 5:37-43).
In the very next chapter of Mark, we see Jesus becoming a bit frustrated with His own home townsfolk. Mark 6:5-6a – And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. After His resurrection, Jesus expressed His frustration with His disciples’ apparent lack of faith. Mark 16:14 – Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. (And He had told them beforehand what was going to happen!)
So why are we sometimes so hesitant to just trust Him, and believe? Why do we sometimes pray halfheartedly for something, or quickly give up when we don’t see immediate results? Is it that we don’t believe He can do something? (That is holding a small view of God, denying His omnipotence.) A father was describing to Jesus how a demon had been violently torturing his son for years. Mark 9:22b-23 – “…But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can!’ All things are possible for one who believes.” And, as an example to us of the appropriate response to our own unbelief: Mark 9:24 – Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
Do we believe the words Jesus spoke, recorded in John 14:12-14?
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”
Or is it that we don’t believe He wants to, so why ask? (That is acknowledging His sovereignty but denying His benevolence.) Are we convinced that our prayers cannot influence a sovereign God? Perhaps I could point you to a short discussion between Abraham and the Lord regarding the impending destruction of Sodom. (See Genesis 18:16-33.) Note that God saved Lot and his family. (See Genesis 19:1-29).
Are we afraid of embarrassing Him if our prayers are not answered as expected? Or are we more afraid of being embarrassed ourselves?
“Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’ He said to them, ‘Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.’”
Perhaps contrary to the main point I’m trying to make here, I do feel a need to point out that God is indeed still sovereign. That is, He is not a “three-wish genie.” Some have taken the above passages too far, into the realm of a “name-it-and-claim-it” theology. God is pleased to answer our prayers that line up with His overall, sovereign will – not ones based on selfish desires, immorality, or other worldly gain. But our prayers will naturally line up with His perfect will and good purposes when we are abiding in Him (see John 15:1-8), and the Holy Spirit leads us. And truthfully, most of us err on the “light” side – that is, we don’t believe enough. I see many passages in Scripture where Jesus encourages us to believe Him for more and to have bigger faith. I have yet to run across a passage where Jesus says, “Oh! Slow down! You’re believing too much. You’re expecting too much from Me.”
Finally, the author of Hebrews points out an uncomfortable truth: unbelief is not benign – it is directly associated with sin.
“Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. As it is said, ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.’ For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.”
Indeed, our very salvation depends on faith. Romans 10:9 - …because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
So where do you fall on the “belief” scale? Are you asking for much? Are you afraid to ask? Are you interceding for others? Do you entertain doubts when praying? Are you aligning your prayers with His will as revealed in the Scriptures? Do you sometimes sense the Holy Spirit nudging you to pray for someone or about something? Have you tried keeping a prayer journal to note all the times God has clearly answered your prayers? Do you enjoy times of intimate, believing prayer? Because it puts you in the very presence of God, and it brings Him pleasure.
“For, ‘Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.’ But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.”
Prayer
Lord, help my unbelief. Help me to believe – without any doubt – Your many promises, Your sovereignty, and Your unending love for me. Help me to trust in Your goodness and power, and not shrink back in fear. Give me faith to move mountains. Amen.
