Faith

Today I came across something else that was written about Jesus prayers: "During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered . . . "  Heb 5:7-9 NIV

I guess I've never really thought about it.  I know Jesus struggled in the garden of Gethsemane, but I still thought somehow that faith and obedience came easily to him.  Yet the picture presented here - praying and petitioning God with loud cries and tears - does not fit that picture at all.  In Jesus we truly have a picture of a man who has suffered and struggled just as we do - or more so. 

This is so encouraging to me!  Sometimes I indeed feel my faith is small as a mustard seed and I feel discouraged and alone and all I can do is cry out to God.  This reminds me that when I'm having a hard time and feeling overwhelming feelings, I'm in good company.  If Jesus prayed and petitioned the Father with loud cries and tears, surely I needn't beat myself up for doing the same!

I'm thinking about that phrase - faith as a grain of mustard seed.  It comes from Matt 17:20 - "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you."  When my faith is small, I certainly don't always experience these sorts of miracles.  Why?  The answer comes to me.  I don't always PLANT my seed of faith!  

I'm reminded of the parable Jesus told about a mustard seed: "Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof." Matt 13:31-32  It does me no good to just save my little mustard seed of faith.  I must actually PLANT IT in order for it to grow into a demonstration of the kingdom of God!

So, how do I plant it and see that it grows?  What I read here in Matt 13:31-32 and again in Luke 13:19 suggests that all I have to do is toss the seed on the ground in the garden of my heart, reminding myself that I can trust God and that faith in Him can move mountains. I don't even need to worry about watering - God has promised to be a spring of living water in me!  I am reminded once again of a verse in Isaiah 58 - "And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not." (verse 11)  Truly His yoke is easy and His burden is light! 

There's a song that Sandi Patty sings called "Meeting Disaster Face to Faith". (You can read the lyrics here.)  It reminds me that when things get rough my best choice is to meet my challenges with faith. 

Thank you, Father, that you are indeed a God of mighty miracles and that you can turn the most difficult circumstances into reasons for rejoicing!  I ask this morning that you take my little mustard seed of faith that I've planted in my heart and water it as you've promised, nourishing it as you nourish the rest of me - that the work you have begun in me will indeed be seen to completion.  As the AA 3rd step prayer says, "God I offer myself to thee to build with me and to do with me what thou wilt.  Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will.  Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life.  May I do Thy will always!"