Friday 10th March
Read John 6:63-66
“The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you – they are full of the Spirit and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, ‘This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.’
66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” (NIVUK)
Do you find believing hard or does belief come naturally? What is it that challenges your ability and willingness to believe? For some it is continuing suffering and injustice in the world. For others it might be ongoing scientific discoveries that deliberately and increasingly sideline the divine. Yet others may struggle with some of the things the Bible states to be wrong or untrue that those in the world around us consider self-evident.
For these disciples it was the offense of the statements that Jesus was making – overturning centuries of reliance on religious practise and demanding that people turn only to Him for life and salvation. And, after making that demand, insisting that belief in Him requires you to accept that death, a humiliating and shameful death, is His path and that this makes complete sense of those centuries of religious practice!
It is sobering how difficult belief can be. The number of challenges to faith and belief are so various and numerous that it is surprising anyone believes at all. Jesus reminds His disciples of that here. Unbelief is not unsurprising – certainly not to Him. There is a sense that it is the default setting of the human heart. There will always be ways that we are tempted not to believe. In a counter-intuitive way it is comforting that this unbelief reaches all the way into the those walking with and watching Jesus Himself. The unbelief of others should come as no surprise if it can reach that far.
Although the Bible is clear that we are fully responsible for our decisions and beliefs, Jesus’ words make it clear that we are not so in control that it is ultimately our decision. God steps in where belief would be humanly impossible. Rather than ‘treading on the toes’ of our independence this is an immense comfort. For with God, anything is possible – even belief! Who has not prayed the prayer of the desperate father of the seriously ill son seeking Jesus and wondering if He could help…
“‘“If you can”?’ said Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for one who believes.’
24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’” (Mark 9:23-24) (NIVUK)
