He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20
A few years ago I saw an add for the Acorn Academy Preschool and I really liked that name. I thought every child that goes there is being taught that they are full of potential to become and become someone strong and great. I thought about a quote I had used many times, “Inside every acorn is a mighty oak tree”. I told God that day that if Evangel Fellowship would ever be blessed to house a preschool again the name would have acorn in it. A prayer dream I had pretty much forgotten until now and my dream stopped developing because I didn’t keep growing it.
In today’s verse the disciples had asked Jesus why they couldn’t cast out the demon tormenting the man they met. Jesus tells them because of their “little” faith. In the Greek “little” isn’t referring to size as much as it is to development and growth. It’s defined as a lacking in experience, an incompleteness. No wonder He refers to one of the smallest seeds in the world that grows to be a massive long living bush that actually looks like a tree! There is massive potential in that little seed. According to modern research, a one millimeter seed in diameter generates a bioenergy field of 100 millimeter radius. These energy fields activate biochemical processes in the body. These processes begins a healing process and helps to keep the body healthy. The mustard seed holds vitamins B1, B6, C,E and K and minerals calcium,iron, magnesium, phosphorus,potassium, selenium and zinc. Mustard has been used medicinally for millenia before it was ever thought of as a condiment. Jesus wisely used the mustard seed to describe the faith of a Believer. It might be tiny, but it’s packed with potential. As a matter of fact the enitre plant can be used including the leaves and bark! But it takes time to develop and grow from a seed to a huge plant. Knowing this, comparing it to faith doesn’t sit well with us who live in a fast paced, microwave, Google and Twitter society.
Jesus taught this so we wouldn’t be surprised when our faith gets tested and needs to be used. Just like a muscle it will only grow when challenged, stretched and pushed beyond the limits we have set. Stop limiting your dreams and prayers, keep them before you, keep reminding God that the dream He has planted in your heart is developing because you are trusting and believing in Him for all things. No matter what we see, what we hear, or even at times what we think we know we need to declare and stay focused on the Truth of Him and His Word and in due season we will reap a great harvest (Gal 6:9)!
Leave a Reply