A mustard see is among the smallest of seeds, typically measuring about 3 mm in diameter. Yet Jesus chose it to guage the faith that can move a mountain (Matthew 17:20) or uproot and order a mulberry tree to be planted in the sea (Luke 17:6). Certainly a mustard seed is very small, while moving a mountain is a great task. Why such a contrast? I believe that what Jesus is saying is that it is not the greatness of faith that brings about mighty acts, but it is the faith in the great and awesome God, who is able to do all those mighty acts. In fact, God chooses the weak and the foolish to shame the strong and wise (I Corinthians 1:17). That is why Paul confesses that he delights in his weaknesses, "for when I am weak, then I am strong" (II Corinthians 12:10).
In fact, the Bible is full of examples of God using the weak, who nevertheless put their trust in the Lord. When Gideon was going out against the Midianites, he initially had thirty-two thousand men. The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands." (Judges 7:2). God did not want Israel to boast that her own strength saved her. God put the thirty two thousand through a series of tests, until only 300 men remained. Then God used them to defeat the Midianites, the Amalekites and all the eastern peoples, who were so numerous that "their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore." (Judges 7:12).
Or, consider the example of boy David. When David volunteered to go and fight the Philistine giant Goliath, Saul observed, "you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth." (I Samuel 17:33). In other words, on human terms, there was no way that David could be matched against Goliath. Even when Goliath saw David, all Goliath saw was a "boy, ruddy and handsome," and he despised him (I Samuel 17:42). Goliath did not know about God, the Lord of hosts, in whose name David was coming. David knew the Lord and declared boldly to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied." (I Samuel 17:45).
It was not the boy David who defeated the giant Goliath; rather it was God the Lord Almighty who was with David and defeated Goliath. It was not Gideon and his 300 men who defeated the innumerable Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples; rather it was God the Lord Almighty who brought fear into the hearts of these peoples. Likewise, it is not the person with the faith like a mustard seed, who is moving the mountain. It is rather the Mighty and Awesome God, in whom the faith is. Because the faith is in the Mighty Lord, however little the faith may be, it can be so powerful.
Yes, Lord, You are abounding in love and faithfulness (Exodus 34:6). You are entirely trustworthy and I put my trust in You. Though I am weak, You are strong. Though I am foolish, You are wise. Though I am limited, You are limitless and infinite in power and authority, honor and glory, and wisdom and knowledge. When I have faith in You, that is when I can reap the benefits of Your infinite wisdom and power. Help me trust You more and more each day. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Faith as small as a mustard seed
During last Friday night's Bible study class with high school girls, I was asked by one of the girls why we don't have faith that can move a mountain, when Jesus said that "if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:20). I could not give a good answer, because I myself did not have the faith that can move a mountain. All I could say was that even though my faith (or our faith) is very weak, we can have confidence in how faithful our Lord is in keeping all His promises. Whatever He has promised to us, we can believe that He will keep it. Though we are weak, He is still strong and faithful.
Afterwards I felt challenged by the question all week. I thought about why I don't have faith as small as a mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds. I prayed earnestly, seeking to have that faith.
The answer to my prayer came through two people. During a family worship service, my wife chose to read from Hebrews 4:2: "For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith." While faith comes, as a gift (Ephesians 2:8), from hearing the message in the word of Christ (Romans 10:17), what one hears is of no value, unless one hears it with faith. When I hear the word of God, I must believe that He exists and rewards those who earnestly seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). I must believe in the word and the One who spoke the word. Then my faith will grow.
But that is not all. During Wednesday's worship service at the church, the pastor read from Luke 17:6, again about faith as small as a mustard seed. The pastor read this verse in the context of what immediately followed it. In the trailing verses of Luke 17:7-10, Jesus talked about servants who dutifully do everything the master is asking them to do and humbly say, "We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty." Faith that can move a mountain comes from humble obedience. On hearing the word of God, we must accept it with faith and then obey to follow the command. The word of God is our law, our statutes, our precepts, our commands, our ordinances, and evidence of our fear of the Lord (Psalm 19:7-9), so we must obey it.
As Jesus told in one of His parables, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches." (Matthew 13:31-32). Though my faith may be the smallest of all, when I accept the word of God with faith and obey it, my faith will grow to be like a large tree. Accepting Christ as my Lord and King (i.e., the kingdom of heaven) is a continually growing process that I think takes spiritual and godly training (I Timothy 4:8) in obedience.
Lord, I am but an unworthy servant. Help me believe and, in believing, obey Your words. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Afterwards I felt challenged by the question all week. I thought about why I don't have faith as small as a mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds. I prayed earnestly, seeking to have that faith.
The answer to my prayer came through two people. During a family worship service, my wife chose to read from Hebrews 4:2: "For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith." While faith comes, as a gift (Ephesians 2:8), from hearing the message in the word of Christ (Romans 10:17), what one hears is of no value, unless one hears it with faith. When I hear the word of God, I must believe that He exists and rewards those who earnestly seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). I must believe in the word and the One who spoke the word. Then my faith will grow.
But that is not all. During Wednesday's worship service at the church, the pastor read from Luke 17:6, again about faith as small as a mustard seed. The pastor read this verse in the context of what immediately followed it. In the trailing verses of Luke 17:7-10, Jesus talked about servants who dutifully do everything the master is asking them to do and humbly say, "We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty." Faith that can move a mountain comes from humble obedience. On hearing the word of God, we must accept it with faith and then obey to follow the command. The word of God is our law, our statutes, our precepts, our commands, our ordinances, and evidence of our fear of the Lord (Psalm 19:7-9), so we must obey it.
As Jesus told in one of His parables, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches." (Matthew 13:31-32). Though my faith may be the smallest of all, when I accept the word of God with faith and obey it, my faith will grow to be like a large tree. Accepting Christ as my Lord and King (i.e., the kingdom of heaven) is a continually growing process that I think takes spiritual and godly training (I Timothy 4:8) in obedience.
Lord, I am but an unworthy servant. Help me believe and, in believing, obey Your words. In Jesus' name. Amen.
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