The Disciples failed...
They couldn't cure the boy; no matter how many times his father asked...
The Disciples could not cure the boy...
"When they came to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him, and said, 'Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; he often falls into the fire and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.' " (Matthew 17:14-16)
These men were called of Jesus to "Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons" (Matthew 10:8).
So, why could they not cure this one little boy?
Well, these words from Jesus may answer that question:
"Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, 'Why could we not cast it out?' He said to them, 'Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.' "
"...if you have faith the size of a mustard seed..."
A mustard seed? What is a mustard seed?
According to wikipedia, "Mustard seeds are the small round seeds of various mustard plants. They are usually about 1 to 2 millimeters in diameter, and may be colored from yellowish white to black."
"...if you have faith the size of a mustard seed..."
Look how small that mustard seed is, nestled between these fingers! So tiny!!
Just one tiny mustard seed...
Faith the size of a mustard seed!
That is all!!
Wikipedia also cites the Parable of the Mustard Seed referring to faith and the Kingdom of God. In Mark 4, Jesus says the kingdom of God "is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth! Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade."
Our faith - as small as that mustard seed - has the potential to grow and spread its "branches" in such a way that birds can rest in them. Those who are hurting can seek shelter beneath it's branches!
Its "roots" reach far and wide to seek those needing help.
Our faith - "faith the size of a mustard seed" - can reach out to those needing help, and provide refuge.
Faith...
The size of a mustard seed...
In a lesson found in "Just Women" magazine, the author Rev. Dr. Cynthia Hale says:
"A mustard seed is so small that it can fit on the head of a pin. The issue is not the quantity of faith, but the quality of our faith. God can work with little faith. It is not the size of your faith, it is the size of your God in whom you place your faith.
"...Faith is the means by which we are connected to God, the source of power; faith allows His power to be released in and through our lives.
"...faith is nurtured...through daily prayer, communion with God, and spiritual disciplines such as fasting.
"Faith may start small, but God expects it to be developed over time. When we believe, when we have faith, God works in and through us to accomplish anything and everything; we can move the mountains out of our way."
Whatever mountains we may be facing, God has given us the way to move them out of our way. He has given us faith to face them...
And, if we do have faith...
The size of a mustard seed...
He will use it for bigger things.
How big is your faith?
Or, better yet, how big is your God?!
Think about that little tiny mustard seed the next time you are confronted with a mountain...
And, remember our God who will use that mustard seed faith to tackle your mountain.
He will bring you up and over the mountain and back down into the valley where He will be with you always.
How big is your faith?
Or, better yet, how big is your God?!
Think about that little tiny mustard seed the next time you are confronted with a mountain...
And, remember our God who will use that mustard seed faith to tackle your mountain.
He will bring you up and over the mountain and back down into the valley where He will be with you always.
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