Jen’s Gem: You can move your mountains!
One year ago, my father was facing the last days of his life. Ninety-five years on this earth – an amazing feat in and of itself. As his birthday approached, I prayed that he’d stay alive to make it to 95. As my son’s birthday approached shortly after, I prayed again. I followed suit for Thanksgiving. He made it through all of these important milestones.
It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since his passing. While it doesn’t feel like yesterday, it doesn’t feel like nearly 365 days ago either. I miss my Dad. I’d give anything just to talk with him or share a cold beer or attempt to match wits as we work on the Sunday crossword puzzle.
The leaves on the trees outside my office window are also facing the end of their time. Today, I see them struggling to hold on to their past – not wanting to let go. However, the howling winds are forcing them to and fro. Shortly, they will join their comrades on my property.
This week I attended a miracle healing service at my church. The female preacher, anointed to heal people, was amazing. She spoke about faith and its power to heal and to restore. In front of my eyes, people’s ailments were removed and they left the church with wide smiles and a spring in their step.
In her preaching, she talked about the apostle Peter as he walked on the water to Jesus. You may be familiar with the story. The apostles were in a boat during a wild storm. Jesus approached the boat, walking on the water. At first they thought He was a ghost. But Jesus reassured them that He was indeed real.
The leaves on the trees outside my office window are also facing the end of their time. Today, I see them struggling to hold on to their past – not wanting to let go. However, the howling winds are forcing them to and fro. Shortly, they will join their comrades on my property.
This week I attended a miracle healing service at my church. The female preacher, anointed to heal people, was amazing. She spoke about faith and its power to heal and to restore. In front of my eyes, people’s ailments were removed and they left the church with wide smiles and a spring in their step.
In her preaching, she talked about the apostle Peter as he walked on the water to Jesus. You may be familiar with the story. The apostles were in a boat during a wild storm. Jesus approached the boat, walking on the water. At first they thought He was a ghost. But Jesus reassured them that He was indeed real.
Peter needed to test this reality. He said, “If it’s really you, then command me to walk on the water to you.” So, Jesus told him to come and in seconds, Peter hopped out of the boat and walked towards Him. Whoa! Everything was fine until Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and glanced around. As soon as he saw the huge waves and felt the swirling winds, down he went.
He cries out to Jesus to save him, which Jesus does of course. However, what He says next to Peter was the eye opener for me the other night.
“Oh you of little faith. Why did you doubt?”
All of my life I interpreted this verse as Jesus admonishing Peter for his lack of faith. But, I learned this may not the case. Jesus was telling Peter that even though he had this sliver of faith, perhaps next to none, he walked on the water. He. Walked. On. Water.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 17:20 –
Jesus tells us in 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.”
Do you know how big a mustard seed is? It’s like a millimeter big. It’s minuscule. Nothing. Yet, even with this amount of faith, we can walk on water, we can move mountains. Whatever obstacle is in front of us, we can overcome with faith the size of a seed.
This seed, when planted and properly nurtured, will grow into a massive 6-20 foot tree with a twenty foot spread. Wow! That’s enough mustard for your next hundred barbecues!
This seed, when planted and properly nurtured, will grow into a massive 6-20 foot tree with a twenty foot spread. Wow! That’s enough mustard for your next hundred barbecues!
As the end of the year approaches, I am facing my own change of seasons. Some doors are closing and I will need to rely on my faith for the next open door. I will need to count on God’s promises and know that like Peter, He will not allow me to sink into the troubled waters. It is not His will for me to drown. He sent His Son Jesus to keep us all from drowning – if only we believe.
This week I’d like to encourage you to rethink the size of your faith. Like me, you may have thought you needed to have Billy Graham-sized faith to be able to overcome the challenges in your life. Nope. Mustard seed-sized faith is all you need. Start there and God will take care of the rest.