While picking up trash last week, Tony came across this sweet little nest. I’ve never seen so tiny a nest. In fact, I wouldn’t have seen it at all if Tony hadn’t pointed it out to me and yet it was in plain sight. The picture doesn’t do it justice, but it is perfectly knit together with straw and grass. Add in a few small leaves and it’s a perfectly decorated house. This nest is only about a foot off the ground and it is located in what looks to me like some kind of sticker bush, not even a real tree. The thing I marveled at was the size. It was only about 2-3 inches in diameter. No kidding. I couldn’t figure out how a mother bird could fit in it let alone a mother bird, a few eggs, and some chicks. But, somehow they must have. This bird family would not have been accused of having a McNest.
As I looked at the nest, the thought came to mind that God can use even the teeniest tiniest things to bring forth, to produce life. It reminds me of the mustard seed lesson. You know, faith as big as a mustard seed? Isn’t that what’s expected of Jesus’s followers, of us? Faith, even faith as small as a mustard seed?
And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”
Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”
So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as 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. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:14-21 – KJV
Faith as small as a mustard seed can result in the miraculous moving of mountains. We’re familiar with these verses, aren’t we? It’s good to be reminded though? Faith as small as that bird’s nest produces life, everlasting life. You see, a mustard seed is small but it is living, active, growing. Look at what happens to the very smallest of seeds – when tended, it can grow up to 20 feet big. That’s pretty incredible. Do we have 20 foot faith?
The disciples had come across a particularly difficult problem. They wanted to know why they couldn’t cast out the demon. Jesus tells them in verse 21 — “…this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” He was telling them the kind of faith that they needed was faith that could only come from God, by communicating with God, by spending time with Him. A tiny seed of faith, with prayer and fasting, grows into 20 foot faith, the kind of faith that moves mountains. Not the self reliant faith we sometimes have. You know, the faith in ourselves versus the faith in God. I can…I can…I can…The disciples had the belief, they knew who Jesus was, they knew of his work, they followed Jesus, they went to church, they sang the hymns, they served, they taught others, yet Jesus called them faithless. We’ve been in that spot before too, haven’t we?
This lesson always made me question the amount of my faith. You know, do I have enough? Should I have more? Do I have mustard seed, speck of dust, or pinhead sized faith? But, I’ve come to the conclusion that maybe I should be less worried about the amount of my faith as the sincerity, the genuineness, and authenticity of my faith. If I focus more on the sincerity of my faith, God will produce just the right amount. He will provide exactly what I need, exactly what you need.
Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness. Matthew 10:1
Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!
Matthew 10:7-8
Jesus had previously given the disciples the authority they needed in this situation. But, they had a bit of the same problem I have sometimes, when they were faced with a particularly difficult situation, their weak faith waivered. It’s easy to have faith in the little stuff, isn’t it, but how about the big stuff? Sometimes those mountains seem simply insurmountable, don’t they? But, how is our weak faith made strong? Only through the power of Jesus.
Did you notice that these passages start and end with prayer? The father came and knelt before Jesus – Jesus tells the disciples, stay on your knees. A very good reminder.
PERSIST
Psalm 104
1 Peter 1
PURSUE
Did you notice that these passages start and end with prayer? The father came and knelt before Jesus – Jesus tells the disciples, stay on your knees. A very good reminder.