Tested Faith

Has your faith ever been tested? Have you ever felt like you don’t have what it takes to accomplish what God is asking of you?

In our gospel passage for this Sunday, Mark 6:7-13, Jesus began to send out the twelve in pairs, and gave them authority over unclean spirits.

The Apostles had not yet proven themselves to be strong pillars of faith so far in Mark. The previous time Jesus spoke to them was in the boat when he calmed the storm, he was not complementary: "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” (Mark 4:40). They were not even allowed anything for the journey, no bread, no bag, no money - just a staff. Jesus even promised them that they would experience rejection, just like he did in his own hometown.

This begs the question, "what was Jesus doing by sending out the twelve in this way, unprepared, un-provisioned, with a low expectation of success?" This sounds like a major test of faith to me. Yet in the end the twelve were successful, they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.

The power to do the miraculous doesn't necessarily depend upon the faith of the messenger, but rather on the authority and power given by Jesus. Maybe we aren’t under-qualified either to do the work of the Lord.