(Reading: Matthew 17)
Matthew 17.20 He
replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, 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.” – Jesus
In Matthew 17, Jesus helped a family whose child was given to seizures.
They came to Him asking Him to do something, complaining His disciples couldn’t.
So, Jesus, rebuked the demon, and it came
out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment. (V. 18) What they saw as seizures, Jesus saw as demonic oppression.
There are many questions that come up in my mind as I
read this: how does a child become demon
possessed (or oppressed); how much is:
‘so little faith; and, how do you compare
faith to the size of a mustard seed? What is quantifiable faith anyway?
The disciples complained that they tried to help the boy, but
it didn’t work; and they wondered why. So, Jesus told them: Because you have so little faith. Now,
does that mean little faith, or no faith? Or, wrong faith? And is little faith less than faith the size of
a mustard seed? How much faith does it take?
My belief is there are no wasted words in life. Certainly,
there is wasted breath in speaking idle words, but there are no wasted words.
There may be vain words, but our words are important because they reveal to us
what is going on in our heart. The disciples asked: “Why couldn’t we drive it
out?” And Jesus replied, because you have
so little faith. Simple question and answer.
Q & A:
Well, Jesus, how
much does it take? Answer: “…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.” Next question: how do I get such quantifiable faith? Answer: I, God, am going to say things to
you that you may not understand, but just because you don’t understand them
doesn’t mean you have no faith – it just means you don’t understand. Trust Me,
and trust in Me, and it will all work out – even if you need to say to a
mountain: Move!, it will have to move because of your faith in Me.
I wonder about my own faith at times. (Today, being one of those times.) But here is the
deal: God is not going to allow me to waste my time or my breath trying to
drive out opposition or oppression in my life unless I exercise even the smallest
amount of faith in Him. Apart from Him, I can do nothing. And trying to do
otherwise is a waste of time and breath.
Lord, however You
do it, would You increase my faith – even up to just the size of a mustard
seed? I’d like as much as You’ll give me, but I’ll settle for the mustard seed
today. Thank You that You are training me to live and believe that life is not
about what I make of it, but about what You make of me in life. Increase my
faith as I partner with You – amen.
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