Author: Dave Dishman (Page 218 of 458)

A desperate father pleaded with Jesus on behalf of his son who writhed in convulsions at their feet, if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.

Jesus responded, everything is possible for one who believes. To which this anguished father, with no where else to turn, cried out a most honest prayer, I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief!

I believe, yet I doubt at the same time. I want to believe wholeheartedly, but resistance drags at my confidence. This man’s cry reflects the condition of my faith. I like that the gospel writers recorded this incident just for people like me.

I like even more that Jesus healed the boy.

My faith needs not shine like waxed fruit without blemish or bruise. There’s no need for perfection on my part, as long as my doubt-tattered faith is in the right person.

Mark 9 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Annie Spratt

When David pledges to follow the Lord and lead a blameless life, one of his vows sounds quite modern: I will not look with approval on anything vile.

It’s easier than ever for me to find something vile to set my eyes upon. Plus, in this internet age what passes for vile—disgusting, depraved, immoral—continues to shrink. In a media world where anything goes, it’s hard to avert the eyes.

Yet David’s oath makes me think. Where do I come across the vile, and when might I give it approval? Another psalmist prayed turn my eyes away from worthless things (Psalm 119:37). With so much entertainment at my fingertips, I must constantly sort the worthless from the worthy.

And what is worthy? That which feeds my soul. Outlooks moving me toward the eternal. Ideas bringing good to others. I must apply the teaching of love the Lord with all my heart, mind, soul and strength and love my neighbor as myself to my viewing habits.

I find David’s 3,000 year old pledge challenging, and I need help from the Lord to give it a go. But the good that comes to me by simply avoiding the vile pays off in my soul.

Psalm 101 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Coline Haslé

I visited a church in New York City recently and met three young women from Indonesia. All are graduate students and all are Christian—I know because I asked them. Indonesia is the largest Muslim nation by population in the world and the three students at church surprised me. O Sir, they enthusiastically told me, there are lots of Christians in Indonesia.

The world is not always as I assume. Abraham endured a similar experience. He moved to a new region and disingenuously introduced his wife as his sister. The ruse fell apart when the Lord appeared to the king and said, You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.

King Abimelek immediately confronted Abraham, who offered this excuse: I said to myself, “There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.” Big whiff by Abraham. His assumptions proved totally wrong when Abimelek wholeheartedly responded to the Lord.

I wonder who I discount as I make assumptions about people? It certainly pays to ask a few questions. Five minutes of conversation with those students in New York opened my eyes and encouraged me as to how the Lord works on the far side of the world. Now I want to visit Indonesia.

Lord, show me where I make cheap assumptions about others. Give me the humility to ask good questions and to listen carefully to the response. Slow me down and point out where you’re at work when it’s not obvious to me.

Genesis 20 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Trevor Hayes