Lord, have mercy on my son; for he is lunatic, and sore vexed: for oftentimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. And Jesus said, bring him here to me. Matt. 17: 15-16. 17b.

Recently on a trip to Farmville I came upon a massive vehicle accident that had occurred a short time earlier. It was so severe; my spirit was troubled as I got a glimpse of the vehicles involved and I wondered of the plight of the occupants and were there fatalities. Also, noticeable at the scene were the large number of first responders and emergency vehicles.

They had truly endeavored to provide the best safety and care possible in rendering first aid and rushing the injured to local hospitals. Little did I know at the time that I knew two of the victims involved in the accident and they had sustained life-threatening injuries. After a few days, I had the opportunity to visit them both in the critical care unit at the hospital. I saw firsthand the severity of their injuries. Many friends had gathered for prayer with the family.

Within a 48-hour period, doctors and nurses had worked frantically and skillfully to operate and provide the best medical care available. And what first appeared to be catastrophic and potentially fatal was now looked upon with hope and promise. As I reflected on the timeframe of when the accident occurred to the time of visitation and hearing the stories of the injured parties’ extreme critical condition, it was apparent all along that it was “Jesus to the rescue.”

In the scripture presented by Matthew, he highlights a situation that seems impossible to a family and a cast of neighbors and friends. The father first seeks relief for his son from the disciples of Jesus. They tried but could not provide relief nor cure for the situation at hand.

Oftentimes in this life we too encounter challenging situations and circumstances and find ourselves searching for help and solutions to problems that plague us physically, mentally and even spiritually. So much so that life’s outlook can become dim and hopelessness seemingly hangs in the balance. Moreover, we also realize that it is not uncommon to sometimes seek relief through sources that cannot provide divine intervention.

The man in this story does not give up. He approached Jesus in humble submission and ask for “mercy” for his son. And Jesus instructs the man,” bring him here to me.”

How comforting it is to know that no matter our plight or the seriousness of any situation, Jesus still awaits our decision to “bring the matter to him.” He wants to come to our rescue. And He will!

REV. DR. JAMES TAYLOR is pastor of Jericho Baptist Church in Farmville, his email is: jht3@verizon.net.