Focus

Luke 9:37-43 (The Message)

When they came down off the mountain the next day, a big crowd was there to meet them.

A man called from out of the crowd, "Please, please, Teacher, take a look at my son. He's my only child. Often a spirit seizes him. Suddenly he's screaming, thrown into convulsions, his mouth foaming. And then it beats him black-and-blue before it leaves.

I asked your disciples to deliver him but they couldn't."

Jesus said, "What a generation! No sense of God! No focus to your lives!

How many times do I have to go over these things?

How much longer do I have to put up with this? Bring your son here."

While he was coming, the demon slammed him to the ground and threw him into convulsions.

Jesus stepped in, ordered the vile spirit gone, healed the boy, and handed him back to his father.

They all shook their heads in wonder, astonished at God's greatness, God's majestic greatness.

Why is Jesus frustrated in this passage?

I'll be the first to admit, it's a bit disconcerting.

Is he really frustrated with his disciples because they couldn't cast out a demon? That's not something that anyone has ever asked me to do during my ministry career, and I'm not sure what I'd do if they did.

I don't want Jesus to be frustrated if I can't cast out demons. After all, isn't that asking an awful lot?

But his reaction to this failure truly is fascinating.

Somehow, it reminds me of my own when I've asked my child to put his shoes on for the third time, only to walk into a room and find him still sock-footed.

Frustration.

Frustration at the lack of focus that his disciples bring to their lives.

Sounding like every parent of every generation throughout time and place, Jesus says, "you have no focus to your lives!"

So, what would life look like if we did?

I'm not altogether sure...but I think it would have something to do with actually seeing God's power at work in miraculous ways.

It would look like health, and victory, love and abundance.

So today, let's "focus," on...focus.

Prayer: God our Father, we ask that you would turn the lens of our spirits until your presence and power come into sharp resolution. Teach us to see, and when you allow, to participate in your actions of healing and grace in this world.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.

For further reading, check out a great article on focus, here.