Mustard Seed Faith
Matthew 17:19-20
English Standard Version (ESV)
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
Ever see a mustard seed?
Pretty small huh? Based on that, what Jesus said, and my own experience, I too have very little faith. Much smaller than that. I was thinking about it today though. I really do not desire the power that can be misinterpreted from this passage. I am too selfish and evil to wield that kind of power. It scares the Hell in me! God knows this as well. Here is what I do desire: I want the confidence that comes with true faith. Faith the size of a mustard seed.
I have always battled with self-confidence. All my life. (OK. Those who know me close your mouths) BC, I had a very low self esteem which often bordered on self-hatred. Oh I was arrogant alright. As a teen it was false bravado. In college and grad school it was my education; however, deep down I always felt worthless. Jesus Christ showed me the difference between worthless and unworthy which I wrote about in a previous post (shameless plug). My new found confidence was not in myself but in the Almighty God, Creator of the universe, and the God of absolutes. Not just the God, my God.
2 Cor 6: 16For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”
Still, I am a long ways off.
I have heard the analogy of faith being a muscle that had to be exercised to get strong. The Bible says it is a gift. Rom 12:3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. Plus many others. Arguments can be made about the muscle example too. Paul talks about growing in faith and increasing in faith as well. Perhaps as we mature our gift of faith from God increases as well. Matt 10:10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Again, I am found lacking.
So what do I want? To command the mountains? No way! I would mess that up royally. What I, my soul, my re-born spirit, desire is to be so confident in Jesus Christ, my savior, my God, my father and creator, that when He says to trust Him and not to lean on my own understanding, there will be no fear, no anxiety, no second guessing, and no restless waiting. So when life's mountains appear before me, and they do and will, my faith will move them aside. As for now, my faith is the size of one of the 6.023x10 to the 23rd power (that is for the science geeks) molecules that make up the mustard seed. How big is yours?
English Standard Version (ESV)
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
Ever see a mustard seed?
Pretty small huh? Based on that, what Jesus said, and my own experience, I too have very little faith. Much smaller than that. I was thinking about it today though. I really do not desire the power that can be misinterpreted from this passage. I am too selfish and evil to wield that kind of power. It scares the Hell in me! God knows this as well. Here is what I do desire: I want the confidence that comes with true faith. Faith the size of a mustard seed.
I have always battled with self-confidence. All my life. (OK. Those who know me close your mouths) BC, I had a very low self esteem which often bordered on self-hatred. Oh I was arrogant alright. As a teen it was false bravado. In college and grad school it was my education; however, deep down I always felt worthless. Jesus Christ showed me the difference between worthless and unworthy which I wrote about in a previous post (shameless plug). My new found confidence was not in myself but in the Almighty God, Creator of the universe, and the God of absolutes. Not just the God, my God.
2 Cor 6: 16For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”
Still, I am a long ways off.
I have heard the analogy of faith being a muscle that had to be exercised to get strong. The Bible says it is a gift. Rom 12:3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. Plus many others. Arguments can be made about the muscle example too. Paul talks about growing in faith and increasing in faith as well. Perhaps as we mature our gift of faith from God increases as well. Matt 10:10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Again, I am found lacking.
So what do I want? To command the mountains? No way! I would mess that up royally. What I, my soul, my re-born spirit, desire is to be so confident in Jesus Christ, my savior, my God, my father and creator, that when He says to trust Him and not to lean on my own understanding, there will be no fear, no anxiety, no second guessing, and no restless waiting. So when life's mountains appear before me, and they do and will, my faith will move them aside. As for now, my faith is the size of one of the 6.023x10 to the 23rd power (that is for the science geeks) molecules that make up the mustard seed. How big is yours?
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