Mustard Seeds

Faith like a Mustard Seed

We are so glib in our use of scripture quotations, aren’t we? We quote verse after verse, almost mantra like, and certainly school room like, in our efforts to show everyone who will listen the depth of our knowledge and the pretended depth of our faith. Ouch – that was a bit hard wasn’t it?

Well, actually – no. It was cold truth.

A preacher will often start the quotation off and the congregation will obediently finish it for him. One of the favourites is, “If my people, who are called by my name, . . . . . “ You know you just finished it for me – didn’t you? Another is this, “Not by might, nor by power, but . . . . . “ and you finished that one too, didn’t you?  One of my personal favourites is, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed . . . . . “ Well, isn’t it one of your favourites too? I think it probably is.

So, where is your mustard seed sized faith then?? Ouch - again.

Where is the faith of old these days. Where are the Wesley’s, the Hudson Taylors, the Cranmer’s of this modern age? Where are the men of real faith? Where is our real faith? We chant all these scriptures but then do our level best to sort out the problem without hardly consulting God, let alone allowing Him to do it. Instead of trusting that God really is in control, we take the wheel from Him and do the steering for ourselves.

Do we no longer believe that if God calls us then He will provide and equip us? Do we have to be so self-reliant that we don’t trust God to fulfil the promises He has given us? My wife and I have just had an object lesson in God’s provision. I hope I will learn from it, because I know it simply confirmed everything my wife already knew about Him. Hey, don’t get me wrong here. I am so grateful and just tickled pink at what’s been going on in our lives.

God is faithful. He is true and He is oh so good !! His promises ARE Yes & Amen! He is our loving Heavenly Father Luke 11:11-13 “If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?  Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Regarding our faith, if Jesus said this to us, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Luke 10:19, what right have we even to question His or our own authority over Satan.

That my friends is where our faith is tried, tested, and proven. Not in our knowledge of God’s Word, but in our belief and trust in it.