“And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.’ And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, ‘He is dead.’ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.” – Mark 9:25-27

As we walk this road which leads to the cross we will see many instances when the supreme authority of Jesus is evident. Our Lord and Savior commands the world He created in every aspect. He, not only directs the angels in heaven but the demons of this world must also obey. We are reminded once again that there is no “IF” when it comes to the power and might of Jesus. To be sure, that is the key lesson in the supernatural healing of this young boy. There are a few other things that are worth noting as we pass by the these verses on our Lenten journey.

First, as spectacular the awesome power of God is, it is not a circus. In other words, there is a reason that we a told that Jesus initiated this healing as He saw the crowd coming. To wait any longer would make this more of a show than a miracle. The work of God in our lives is not for the entertainment of crowds. He is not a court jester. We find Jesus often told those He healed not to “broadcast it”, so to speak, and here we see it again. Jesus is a personal Savior and this is about the Good Shepherd ministering to a boy and his father. They are not just players in a bigger picture but they are people that He loves and cares about.

Another detail to notice is that the evil “spirit” does not go quietly. The work of God in our life is the mortal enemy of the evil within us. We have already established that it must obey the Creator but, as we see here, it does it kicking and screaming. Much like cauterizing a wound or removing a splinter, healing can sometimes be painful. To the watching crowd it looked like it killed this boy. Following Jesus is a tough road. It requires hard choices and a denial of self that just about “kills” us. Sometimes those around us may say, “Is it worth it? Why don’t you just give in?”

“But Jesus took him by the hand…”

It looked like the end. In an attempt to heal this boy Jesus killed him…but wait…the Messiah had not left the scene. He was not finished. Jesus took him by the hand and “lifted him up”. Jesus will never leave you. He will not only stay with you but He will take your hand and lift you up.

Do you need a hand today? Are you looking for some help to rise to your feet? Jesus has not left the scene of your life. He is standing right there and He is holding out a hand. Will you take it?