Matthew 17:14–20 (ESV)
Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon
14 And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, 15 said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he
falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” 17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how
long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. 19 Then the disciples
came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 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.”
Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy whom His
disciples have been unable to help. Their faltering faith has let down a seriously afflicted person. Sometimes our weak faith may do the same. When we express our own doubts and fears, family members and friends may be led to question God’s promises.
Yet the strength of our faith does not flow from us but is the work of the Holy Spirit through Word and Sacrament. Our prayer must ever be: “Lord, increase our faith.”
I pray: Lord Jesus, give me great faith, that I may receive the fullness of the gifts You promise. Amen.[1]