The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” He replied, “If
you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry
tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you. Luke 17:5-6
it seems like they had enough faith, as far as the Lord was concerned. yes, he at times marveled at the "great faith" of some who trusted him, and rebuked the "little faith" of those who didn't; he even outright denounced the "faithless generation" that sought signs and wonders instead of trusting the signs he already performed.
yet he said that the smallest amount of faith could move mountains.
how much faith is enough, and how do we know we have it?
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1
so, do i have the smallest sureness of what i hope for, and the smallest certainty of what i do not see? i want my children to be healed of sickness, for example. this is what i hope for: healing. this is what i do not yet see: perfect health. how can i be sure that my children will be healed, and certain of their healing before i see it?
the verse assumes a promise, a surety, a legal guarantee from God. like when i paid first and last months rent, and gave the land lord a security deposit, so God gives us a "security deposit," the Holy Spirit, as Paul said to the Ephesian Christians. So, as Paul said, if God would not spare His Son, or His Spirit, and if God would give us His Son while we were His enemies, will He spare us anything else that is good and of far less value?
Of this I am sure and certain: God is love, and God is good. I know that God is full of compassion and great in mercy. Jesus promised this: Ask, and it will be given. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened. He said if evil human fathers can give good gifts to their children when they ask, how much more will the perfectly good heavenly Father give good gifts, and His Holy Spirit, to His children when they ask? now that i am a father, i have a deeper understanding of this verse. i know without doubt i am an imperfect father, yet i can say with all honesty that i have not knowingly withheld ANYTHING good from my children when they've asked. i give them whatever they need or want that is good when they ask. if i can comfort them or help them, i do it without hesitation. i am certain that God is infinitely better and has more power than i do.
Therefore, I am sure of what I hope for and certain of what I do not see: That God will heal my family, and that the devil will flee from me.
how much faith is enough, and how do i know i have enough faith?
the smallest amount of sureness in God's goodness is enough. i know that i have it, because i can't live without it.
the verse assumes a promise, a surety, a legal guarantee from God. like when i paid first and last months rent, and gave the land lord a security deposit, so God gives us a "security deposit," the Holy Spirit, as Paul said to the Ephesian Christians. So, as Paul said, if God would not spare His Son, or His Spirit, and if God would give us His Son while we were His enemies, will He spare us anything else that is good and of far less value?
Of this I am sure and certain: God is love, and God is good. I know that God is full of compassion and great in mercy. Jesus promised this: Ask, and it will be given. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened. He said if evil human fathers can give good gifts to their children when they ask, how much more will the perfectly good heavenly Father give good gifts, and His Holy Spirit, to His children when they ask? now that i am a father, i have a deeper understanding of this verse. i know without doubt i am an imperfect father, yet i can say with all honesty that i have not knowingly withheld ANYTHING good from my children when they've asked. i give them whatever they need or want that is good when they ask. if i can comfort them or help them, i do it without hesitation. i am certain that God is infinitely better and has more power than i do.
Therefore, I am sure of what I hope for and certain of what I do not see: That God will heal my family, and that the devil will flee from me.
how much faith is enough, and how do i know i have enough faith?
the smallest amount of sureness in God's goodness is enough. i know that i have it, because i can't live without it.
No comments:
Post a Comment