Megan Evans, Women’s Ministry Director, LHBC
Matthew 17:19-20 (NLT)
19 Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?”20 “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.[a]”
Do you ever find yourself frustrated with mountain-moving faith? I think we all do. We love the idea that we can do the impossible, and that we just need a little help from Jesus to do it. However, this false mentality moves Jesus out of the picture and will only leave us frustrated because it places us worshipping from God’s seat instead of humbly at his feet.
Like the disciples who found themselves unable to heal and the man waiting for a miracle, we too can find ourselves staring at the mountain and asking why it’s not moving. Sometimes we find ourselves struggling to hold on to God’s promises or waiting for answers. Like a lightbulb growing dim before it burns out, we may wonder how much longer we can wait or hope for an outcome.
Jesus’ response is for both the disciples and us today. “You don’t have enough faith,” Ouch! This is a hard response to wrestle with, yet every word of the Bible is worth leaning into even when it scratches and pricks our heart. Maybe especially when it is scratchy and prickly. The Bible tells us not to test God, but it also tells us to believe God. So how can faith the size of a mustard seed move a mountain?
We first have to get rid of our mountain mentality. When our eyes are fixed on immovable rock, we lose sight of God. Next, we have to remember that power belongs to God and His movement is not always visible or measurable to man’s eye. Lastly, sometimes there are mountains that don’t want to move and even mountains that don’t need to move.
Jesus was equipping and entrusting the disciples for very special work to build the Kingdom of God and continue his ministry after the cross so the disciples had a bit of a unique situation, but we can glean from it. God’s power was not found that day in their technique, nor would it ever be. The mountain, the power, the moving…it is all God’s.
Nothing is impossible for the Lord. Everything is impossible for tiny seeds like us. And when these two meet at the cross, the heart of that tiny seed begins to swell and grow brand new life. The old shell cracks open and springs forth hope and life. In this new life we live as a surrendered vessel trusting in the how, when, and whys of God’s ways. Will you trust Jesus with the mountain today?
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Father God, I trust you. Period. I surrender the mountain I have longed to see move. In you alone I find hope and promise for this day. Forgive my struggle to believe at times. Grow my faith in you Jesus so that I may never chase the healing in place of the Healer. In Jesus Name, Amen
MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK:
Psalm 124:8:
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.