Holding Up

10/31/2020

Matthew 17:20 “Faith as a grain of mustard seed…”

Yesterday’s verse was taken from the beginning of Hebrews 11, which is titled in my Bible as “Faith in Action.” It recounts how great men of the Old Testament – Abel, Enoch, Noah, and Abraham – had deep and abiding faith in God. Chambers writes, “Faith in the Bible is faith in God against everything that contradicts Him—I will remain true to God’s character whatever He may do.” This was certainly true for these fathers of the faith. They faithfully lived for God regardless of their life situations, and to say they all experienced trials is an understatement. But what about me? How is my faith holding up during this time of unrest and global pandemic? Is it even the size of a mustard seed?

Chambers adds, “Faith by its very nature must be tried, and the real trial of faith is not that we find it difficult to trust God, but that God’s character has to be cleared in our own minds. Faith in its actual working out has to go through spells of unsyllabled (not articulated) isolation.” If ever there was a time of extreme isolation, it is now. I know that in my own life, I have been experiencing what Chambers calls the “trusted silence”, where I cannot clearly hear God. It does not help that we are separated from in-person church services and fellowship because of Covid-19. There is also a (possible) looming civil and political tsunami heading our way. It all seems like too much to bear, but NOTHING is unbearable when you put your hope and faith in Almighty God, our Savior Jesus, and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. If I can refocus on the profound truths of the Bible, and how much God loves me, my faith will be able to weather any storm.

I was gifted two pieces of jewelry with mustard seeds embedded in them by some dear friends of mine. Both of these are reminders to me that even if my faith is as tiny as this seed, mountains can be moved. Well, there are currently many mountains surrounding us, trying to crush our hope and keep us in fear. Yet the smallest amount of faith in God will let us conquer any mountain that tries to destroy us. Take heart, dear reader, and hold onto devoted abiding faith in the Savior with all of your might. Never give up sharing the power of faith with others, and seek the strength and the peace that can only come from God.

Matthew 17:20 “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”