faith – Page 12 – Be Still…

Matthew 17:14-21 – Not Enough Faith

Have you ever attended a Bible conference or an especially moving worship concert? You are then familiar with the “high” you feel from having spent some serious time in God’s holy presence. You may feel like you have a superpower. You may see everything in a beautiful light. You are certainly in a place of calm, expectant hope, with the joy of the Lord overflowing.

Then you step back into reality. There are bills to pay. There are meetings to attend. It may be time to go back to work and face that stress. The dose of reality waiting for you after your “mountaintop experience” can be especially cruel and abrupt. So, too, for Jesus and his disciples today as they came down from the mountain. A situation had arisen that needed Jesus’ attention.

Matthew 15:32-39 – 4,000 More!

Read Matthew 15:32-39

This may seem very similar to verses we read in the last chapter when Jesus fed 5,000 men (plus women and children). These are two distinct happenings. We see the number of people following Jesus expanding. In Jesus’ own words, “I have compassion for these people.”

For three days the people have stayed. Jesus has healed many. People were amazed and gave praise to the God of Israel. They understood that much, where the power came from. So what about the disciples? Having already seen a miraculous feeding, where was their faith?

Matthew 15:21-30 – Great Faith

Read Matthew 15:21-30

There were a few puzzling things in today’s reading. But most of them can be cleared up by understanding who this Canaanite woman was. She wasn’t famous or anything that I know of, but she was determined. She was not a Jew. Jesus saw something in her that he wanted to reward. Let’s break some of this down.

First of all, she was a Canaanite. She was not Jewish. Jesus’ own statement to his disciples was “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” We could interpret from this that Jesus’ target audience was the Jews needing a savior. The rest of the world would have to wait. The disciples were also distressed by her incessant requests for help. They wondered why Jesus didn’t just send her away. But she persisted. The woman didn’t seem phased by “where she came from” or who Jesus normally healed. She knew without a doubt Jesus could save her daughter from the demons.

Matthew 14:22-36 – Can You Walk on Water?

Read Matthew 14:22-36

I’ve never tried to walk on water. Have you? If Peter can do it, I think we all can–if we have the right mindset and trust. But Peter started to sink, and I’m sure we would, too. I don’t know about you, but I tend to overthink everything. That’s exactly what Peter did. Jesus’ words are ringing in my head, “Why did you doubt me?”

We are all guilty of that doubt from time to time. Our faith can falter with the breeze. If we encounter a stumbling block or even a roadblock in our lives, we tend to seize up and become stuck. We were not promised a trouble-free life. We were promised to never be alone. We were promised to be loved no matter what.

Matthew 11:25-30 – Come Rest

Read Matthew 11:25-30

When we have a childlike faith, we can see more clearly. We don’t let the lies of the world get in our way. Interesting that Jesus would call it out right here in his prayer. If it pleased God then, it surely pleases him still today. When we can approach God as a child full of wonder with unlimited trust, we will see and understand more completely.

Think for a second about who you know best, besides yourself. Maybe it’s a parent, a child, or a spouse. You know the deep relationship you have with them. You know what they are thinking and feeling because there is a strong connection. Who better to know God than Jesus and visa versa. Jesus goes a bit further and tells us he will reveal God to those he chooses. Some of us are going to have the honor of having God revealed to us. What does that mean?