Luke 17:5-6
“The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”
What of Today’s Verse…
You are asking me to perform the impossible; I am sure that I can never become a great tree, said a tiny mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds, as it lay on the soft mould where it had dropped.
Suddenly it was caught up with a spadeful of earth, and buffed, it seemed, fathoms deep; in reality but a few inches! There it lay in darkness and neglect. After some weeks, a tiny green shoot appeared above the ground, and looked up to where the great parent-tree was growing; it whispered softly to itself, “Perhaps I shall be able to do it after all.” “Do what?” “Perhaps I shall become a great tree in which the birds may shelter.” “But a few weeks ago you said it was impossible. then I had no idea that Mother Nature would work in me as she has done; if she goes on pouring herself into me as she has been doing of late, there is nothing that I cannot do; yet not I, but her life which dwelled and worked in me.”
There is no need to explain or enforce the meaning of the allegory. Our Lord had bidden His disciples forgive “until seventy times seven,” and they had replied that such a thing would be impossible, without a great increase of faith. “No,” said the Master, “you do not need quantity but quality.”
All God’s fullness will flow through the tiniest channel that faith opens out on His Almighty power. Faith is the open heart towards Him, and through the channel of faith Christ lives in and through us. Hudson Taylor heard God say: “I am going to evangelize inland China, and if you will walk with Me, I will do it through you.” D.L. Moody said that the beginning of his marvellous ministry was the remark made in his hearing: “The world has yet to learn what God can do through a man wholly yielded to Him.” It is not what we do, but what God does through us, that counts; and His mighty power, passing through the tiniest aperture of faith, keeps hollowing it wider.
Let us Pray:
Most Gracious Lord, Thou didst truly say, “Without Me ye can do nothing.'” We know that this is so by our past failures, when we have wrought in our own strength. Help us to use the little faith we have that it may become the channel for Thy wondrous power. Amen.
Words of Wisdom
Recovery
In Christ I am a new creation. I can do all things.
In Christ “there is a new creation.” Many of us have overcome tremendous adversity: addiction, negative thinking, and poverty. There may be aspects of our lives we still wish to transform. We see opportunities for growth and greater fulfilment. We have the potential to become completely new, vibrant human beings.
This is the day when I fully release the concept of lack or limitation from my consciousness. I accept with faith that Christ is my strength, health and spiritual guide. In Christ I am a new creation. I can do all things.
The path to recovery is mine to choose, and I embark upon this journey with a spirit of gratitude and joy in Christ.
“So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see everything has become new!” –2 Corinthians 5:17
