“So the Lord said, ‘If you have faith as a mustard see, you can say to this mulberry tree, Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea, and it would obey you.”
Luke 17:6
We live in a supersize society. Everything is better the bigger you get it – your television, the number of cars you own, your house, your soda, even your sneakers! By the way, what is up with those big ugly sneakers that make your feet look twice the size they actually are? Why would anyone pay good money to make their feet look bigger? Usually that’s something I want to downsize on but, that is not the point of this post. J
Personally, I’m really glad that God’s economy is different from the world’s. There’s not a whole lot that big about me. Height, bank account, car, personality, it’s all kind of on the small size. For those of us under 5’3” we actually call it “fun size.” While it may not be cool in the world’s eyes, in God’s eyes, fun-size could be just right.
In Revelation 3:7-8, Jesus is speaking to the church in Philadelphia (not Pennsylvania) and He says,
“These things says He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens. I know your works. See I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.”
The Lord didn’t have many good things to say about the 7 churches in Revelation. All but 2 of them received a rebuke and a warning. Philly and Symrna received an exhortation. And what was the faithful churches claim to fame? They had a lot of strength? No, a little strength and a steadfast heart. Jesus said faith as big as a mustard seed could move mountains and pull up trees. . The kingdom of heaven is like a child, not a scholar. David defeated a giant with a slingshot and stone. 5000+ people were fed with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. A small band of 300 ill-equipped Israelites whooped a whole army of Midian solders. Our resources don’t necessarily need to be directly proportional to the need, or to the task at hand.
Now that’s not to say that we should settle for giving less than our best. He doesn’t deserve inferior fruit, leftover time, doubt, or scraps. But the fact is, sometimes all I have is a little strength, a mustard seed of faith and a few stones. God says, “OK, I’ll meet you there. I don’t need you anyway; I want you. I’m choosing to use you, so I’ll take what you have and use it for My glory and to magnify My name.”
“But God has chosen the foolish things of this world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of this world to put to shame the things that are mighty; and the base things of this world, and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him your are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God – and righteousness and sanctification and redemption – that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 1:27-31
God delights in using the small, unexpected things of the world to get His work done. Not only does it plunge His people into deeper relationship with Him, but it points the world to Him. I still pray that God would increase my faith. I don’t want to settle for mustard seed faith or just a little strength. But what a comfort to know that when that’s all I have, God doesn’t turn me away and tell me to come back later when I have something better to offer Him. Even if it’s tiny, when offered with a pure and humble heart, He will take it and use it for His glory. In the process, I get to experience Him more, and know His faithfulness.
And the task ahead seems bigger than you
That's when He steps in
When you know in your heart that God's command
Takes more than can be done by man
That's when He steps in
He sees you at the point of your need
He sees you at the point of crossing your Red Sea
In the moment you call
When you've given your all
He steps in, He steps in
What's that you have in your hand
I can use it, if you're willing to lose it
Take the little you have and make it grand
I am El Shaddai and I'll more than supply your need
When all you have is oil in a jar
That's a reflection of where you are
That's when He steps in
A little boy's lunch of fish and bread
Is all you have for the need ahead
That's when He steps in
Let Him take it and bless it and
Break it and give it
He'll multiply it in the moment you live it
And in the moment you call
When you've given your all
He steps in, He steps in
He sees you at the point of crossing your Red Sea
In the moment you call
When you've given your all
He steps in, He steps in
What's that you have in your hand
I can use it, if you're willing to lose it
Take the little you have and make it grand
I am El Shaddai and I'll more than supply your need
When all you have is oil in a jar
That's a reflection of where you are
That's when He steps in
A little boy's lunch of fish and bread
Is all you have for the need ahead
That's when He steps in
Let Him take it and bless it and
Break it and give it
He'll multiply it in the moment you live it
And in the moment you call
When you've given your all
He steps in, He steps in
(Alvin Slaughter, What's That You Have In Your Hand)
Application: I will record all of the things God teaches me today that my faith might be increased.
No comments:
Post a Comment