Welcome back to We Wonder: Lent. One of the first things Jesus said to his friends was "Follow me." We are near the end of the third week of Lent, and we have been following Jesus through the gospel of Mark. Yesterday, Jesus and his friends were on a mountaintop and heard God's voice speaking; today, they are back on the road, and what they find is a big mess. I wonder what is beginning to change? 📖 READ: Mark 9:14-29 ❔ WONDER: In yesterday's story, Jesus and his three friends are on a mountaintop, and Jesus is shining brightly as he speaks with Moses and Elijah. We heard God's voice telling us Jesus is his Son. Now he has come down the mountain, but what is waiting at the bottom is a mess: a boy is being hurt by an evil spirit; the disciples can't heal him, and the crowd is getting angry. How does this change in the story make me feel?  Earlier in Mark's story, people found it easy to believe in Jesus: they trusted that if they just touched his clothes, they would be healed. In this story, after the disciples fail to heal his son, the father isn't sure if Jesus can help. I wonder what has changed? I wonder why the disciples couldn't help this boy? I wonder if following Jesus is getting harder as the story goes on? What is happening to this boy is scary. Can I remember, as I hear this story, that Jesus has defeated the evil powers that want to hurt people, and that they cannot stand against him? The boy's father is honest. He wants to believe Jesus can help his son, and he also knows he needs Jesus to help him hold on to that trust. Do I ever want to say those words to God, too: "I do believe: help my unbelief"?  Jesus does help the man and his son. Can I believe that Jesus welcomes me when I want to trust him — even if I don't trust him perfectly, or all the way all the time? Are there any words, or pictures, or moments in this story I want to ask God about right now, or take with me into the rest of my day? 🙏🏾 PRAY: Jesus of Nazareth, son of God: thank you that we have a book filled with your words and deeds. Give us the wisdom and understanding that comes from your Holy Spirit, so that we can know you better and follow you all the days of our lives. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.