A Mustard Seed of Faith

If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Matthew 17:20b

I need my glasses, but this particular day while I was sitting on the couch, the screw worked loose and dropped into the couch. How would I ever see the tiny thing? If I happen to find it, who would put my glasses back together? I had work to do! I needed to read for school. I needed to cook supper. I needed my glasses and I was home alone. I stood and began to feel across the cushion as I tried to see the tiny screw. If I lifted the cushion, no telling where the screw would roll to or go flying off to. What was I going to do? "Lord, please help me find the screw." It was a feeble plea. My faith was about as big as a dust mite. But as I lifted the cushion, I heard in my head, this male Southern voice say, almost with disgust, "There it is." Sure enough, along the edge of the couch lining with all the crumbs, lay my little screw. I was so excited I wanted to tell someone. I wanted to jump up and down. I just bowed my head and said, "Thank you, Lord. Thank you." I carefully picked up the screw and got a magnifying glass to help me put my glasses back together.

When my husband got home that night, I wanted to tell him the whole story but somehow it just didn't come out quite the same. Sometimes you just have to be there.

In the Mark 10, Blind Bartimaeus cries out to Jesus. Many try to shush him, but Jesus asked what Bartimaeus wanted him to do. Bartimaeus needed to see. He had the faith it took to ask Jesus for the sight. Bartimaeus' request was immediately granted.

Jesus is always at hand to answer our requests, our needs. Had Bartimaeus not called out, he would have still been blind. If I had not called out, when would I have gotten my glasses fixed? Finding a screw seems like such a little thing compared to what Jesus did for Bartimaeus, but He is interested in even our little things.

What need do you have today? Have you told Jesus? The answer may be just a prayer away. Mustard seeds aren't much bigger than dust mites. Even dust mite faith worked for me.

Blessings,

Gail

Skittering verses Flying

Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. I Corinthians 10:33

While driving along a back road, a little unidentified bird skittered across the road in front of me. I wondered, why didn’t this bird fly? It would have been quicker and easier, it seemed. Though I couldn’t distinguish the type, I knew it wasn’t a killdeer who would normally run instead of fly. What was wrong with this bird? Was he too afraid to risk flying? Was he hurt? It didn’t appear so. His wings were neatly folded against his sides. It was not the time of year for young birds. This had to be an adult acting like an immature bird too afraid to fly!

Then I thought, do I sometimes skitter through life situations when I should be mature enough to fly through with faith? Paul tells the church at Corinth he fed them with the milk of the word and they hadn’t grown. He couldn’t give them the meat because they still acted like infants (I Corinthians 3:2).

I want to be a mature Christian who acts in a way that demonstrates the love and peace and concern for others that Christ demonstrated. Paul understood the scriptures. He understood the customs of the Jews and Gentiles. Paul’s desire was to reach people by whatever means possible. That is my prayer as well. I want to know the scripture, understand the cultures of the peoples both young and old that I come in contact with that I might be able to reach them through means they understand. I want to try the wings of faith for the salvation of others.

The Gift of a Mustard Seed

…For verily I say unto; you, If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you. Matthew 17:20

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds; but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. Matthew 13:31,32

I never met a mustard I didn’t like; yellow mustard, brown mustard, Dijon, and all the varieties in between. I use the little seeds when I make pickles and I’ve helped plant them for “greens”. So when I read it grew into a tree, I thought, “What kind of mustard seed do they have in the Middle East?”  

After doing a little research (http://ww2.odu.edu/~lmusselm/plant/bible/mustard.php)It turns out they have the same ol’ mustard seeds we do and use them for the same ol’ things – mustard. The difference is where they plant them. If they plant black mustard seeds in the very sunny parts of the dessert and leave it alone until fall, the plant is tall and the stem is woody. Most trees in the area are more like shrubs, big enough for birds to roost in and find shelter under the branches.

The disciples were trying to help a man with a demon possessed child. They could not cast out the demon. Jesus had earlier told them the parable of the mustard seed. He was talking about growing the kingdom of heaven, adding to the church. The man believed Jesus could heal his son. The problem was that the disciples didn’t seem to have the faith needed to deliver the child. When they asked Jesus about their problem, his answer was the need for prayer and fasting. (vs 21).

How often I go to church or witness to someone I meet without seeing results. I wonder why there was no response? Did I not say the right things? Was there something missing in the service? Checking back on my prayer life…. Did I pray for the services? Has my prayer life prepared me to witness? Ephesians 6:12 tells us we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities and rulers of darkness. Every kingdom must have warriors who are willing to fight. Our weapons are prayer and the Word of God.

I think I may spend a little extra time in prayer this week. It is my desire to see people come and find salvation and rest in Jesus. It’s possible I may find rest there too. Won’t you join me?

 

Blessings,

Gail

 

Standing Stones

Standing Stones in the river at Hebron Falls, Julian Price Picnic Area, NC

That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? Then ye shall answer them, Joshua 4:6-7a.

Hebron Falls 1.4 miles to the right. That’s what the trail sign read. “Take us about an hour, my guess,” I said.

“Quarter to 5 now. Let’s go,” my husband answered.

The trail was easy through a meadow, then we went into the woods. Roots began to cover the trail; mud, streams, rocky ledges. I know why we are suppose to hike with a buddy. I needed Rick’s hand to pull me over rocks! I hoped this fall was going to be worth it.

Finally we could hear the fall tumbling below. A sign: Hebron Falls with the arrow pointing downward. Here we went again. At the bottom we looked up on a tumble of rocks with a stream running willy nilly through it. “Seen better,” Rick said. So had I. I took a few pictures with my cell phone and was about to leave when I spotted it.

“Look at that!” I exclaimed. There at the base of the falls in the middle of the rock pile was a man-made stack of small stones. “I bet there are 12 stones there.” I pointed, counting from a distance out loud. Sure enough 12 stones.

I don’t know who or why those 12 stones from the river were stacked at the base, but I do think they were put there for a reason. Maybe to commemorate something special on the hike. Maybe just to say I’m a Christian and I want others to think about God while they are here in His creation. Maybe none of these things, but to me it said, “Tell the story of what Jesus has done for you.” God commanded Joshua to have a leader from each tribe take a stone from the middle of the Jordan River and make a pile of standing stones so their children and generations to come would ask, “What mean ye by these stones?” God wanted the Israelites to pass on what great things God had done so their children would learn to have faith.

What great thing or things has God done for you that you would like to share so others might know how great a God we serve. Won’t you please leave a comment?

In Honor Of Mother's Day

When I call to remembrance the unfiegned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. II Timothy 1:5

My favorite book is When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant. Hers was a mentor text for me to write in honor of my Grandmother. Hope this post brings fond memories to your remembrance as well.

When I Was Young

When I was young, I lived just up the path from my Grandma and Papa. The privet hedge that separated my house from the path was my time tunnel. I lived in the twentieth century but they lived in the past.

When I was young, I helped Grandma draw water from the well. We drank sweet water from a common dipper in the bucket in Grandma’s kitchen.

When I was young, Grandma would hold me up so I could see the robin’s nest in the hedge just outside her bedroom window. We would watch the mother bird feed her babies fat juicy worms and little green bugs.

When I was young we sat under the oak tree and peeled peaches for peach ice cream. We took turns cranking the ice cream churn until our arms ached and the crank no longer turned. Then we would eat peach ice cream until it gave us a brain freeze.

When I was young, we chased birds around the front yard with a salt shaker. Papa said if we put salt on a bird’s tail, we could catch it. In the evening, Papa would call bob whites up to the edge of the yard. I tried to whistle too. Sometimes the bob whites would answer my call.

When I was young, Grandma taught us to play mumbledy peg with Papa’s pocket knife. It would easily stick in the pine boards of Grandma’s kitchen steps.

When I was young, we spent winter evenings around a coal heater in the sitting room, playing checkers while the sleet beat against the windows. We didn’t have any story books but Grandma was a good story teller.

When I was young, Grandma made all my dresses for school and church on her treadle machine. She tatted lace for my collars. Once she let me help serve when the Women’s Missionary Union met at her house.  She always made me feel special.

When I was young, I never wanted to go to the city. I never wanted to fly in a plane. I only wanted to slip through the hedge and down the path to my grandparents’ house.                                               Based on When I Was Young in the Mountains

 

Perhaps you have a favorite book that brings special memories of your mother or grandmother to mind. Please let us know.   Blessings.