“Because of your little faith,” he (Jesus)told them. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20 CSB)
The mountain Jesus was referring to was not a pile of rock and dirt. The mountain Jesus was referring to was the humanly impossible task of healing a boy. The boy’s father was powerless to protect his son.
From Jesus’ words, it is evident that the disciples lacked sufficient “faith” for the task. What does that “little faith” mean? It is almost like Jesus was speaking in code; the application was hidden behind Jesus’ metaphor. To the disciples who were facing the challenge, the task was like a mountain, far bigger than their readiness to accomplish it. They knew what needed to happen. They felt the boy’s father’s anxious desperation. They knew what Jesus could and would do. They knew what God could do. But they did not know how it was to be done. Not so much the procedure as the purpose of separating the demon from the child, as well as the father from his helplessness.
They lacked the Kingdom’s perspective of the situation. Their efforts were restricted by their view of the dire situation of this family. They desired, desperately, to make the pain go away. But they did not have in mind what was to replace that pain. The disciples wanted to fix the kingdom, but God intended to announce the presence of His Kingdom.
The mountain was not before them but within them. They were prepared but not yet ready. Jesus had taught the fundamentals and demonstrated the application, yet they were incapable of demonstrating the presence of the Kingdom of God by healing this boy.
The disciples recognized the need, but they lacked the ability to see God at work through the need. They focused on their knowledge and the family’s plight rather than on God’s movement in a broken world. God does not perform miracles to ease the suffering in this world. Miracles are announcements of His presence in this world. That is, God’s Kingdom trumps the world’s kingdom. God’s Kingdom is an “every moment” coming; did Jesus not teach us to pray for that very thing?
Faith is not believing that God can do something. Faith is staying with God long enough and close enough to know what He is going to do. Faith is not praying, “Lord, if you do what I ask, I will give you all the glory.” NO! God is glorious whether he does or does not answer our petition. Our physical well-being is not His priority. Our Eternal well-being is His top priority.
Since the Fall, death swallows up our living. Rejoice, for Jesus came to offer a New Life that will swallow up death.
Life is a mountain. Humans are mountaineers.
And that brings me to the picture that accompanies this blog. The owner of this damaged car is unknown to me. I walked past it in our church parking lot on Monday evening. Over the years, I, too, have had to find ways to keep my car on the road. It was embarrassing and aggravating, and most of all, a financial challenge. It was a mountain that, at the time, was immovable for me.
There have been numerous times when I had to use an old shirt hanger to bind the floundering pieces of my life together. (Not long after Dawn, our third, was born, I was keeping the muffler on our 1969 Pontiac Lemans from dragging on the ground with a twisted shirt hanger.)
Mountains come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and heights. Some are not as steep and treacherous as others. But we are seldom without a life challenge that rises to impede our desired progress. There are moments in life that seem easily and enjoyably traversed. At other times, they are grueling endurance tests that we feel ill-prepared to face.
Two things are sure, that we can have faith in!
First, God knows! His Kingdom is real.
Second, God is at work! His Kingdom is coming, all day, every day.
So, keep on climbing! Take a breath, find a traveling companion, and lift that heavy foot. Your hard-fought victory is likely the miracle that proves His presence in this world. Be hopeful, any mountain you face is there for a Kingdom reason, and the King is fully aware. He will not let you down as He lifts His purposes.
Baldwin Heirlooms 