O You of Little Faith

We all know the story; Jesus has just fed more than five thousand people. He sends the disciples ahead of him across the lake while he talked to his father. While the disciples are in a boat in the middle of the lake, a wind violent comes up and the boat is taking a beating. The disciples are fighting the wind and waves and suddenly, there is Jesus walking to them on the water. Jesus speaks to the terrified disciples. Impulsive Peter gets out of the boat and starts walking on the water to Jesus. While on the water, Peter suddenly has a reality check and remembers that people can’t walk on water. Looking around at the wind and waves, he starts to sink. Jesus reaches out and lifts him out of the water. Then Jesus, says, “You of little faith,”, “why did you doubt?”

I love this narrative, but I have often wondered at Jesus response to Peter. You of little faith,”, “why did you doubt? This is not the only time that Jesus says this. Jesus uses this phrase five different times in the book of Matthew. We know that Jesus would not belittle or discourage the disciples. So, possibly, I need to rethink what Jesus intended. We know that Jesus is a good father who would encourage his child. Perhaps this phrase was intended to encourage in the same way a father would encourage a child learning to walk or stand. Maybe He was saying, “You have a little faith.” Remember, the same God who said, “You of little faith,”, “why did you doubt? Also said, “if you have faith as small as a mustard seed,”. Mustard seeds are very small. So, while he was saying, “You of little faith,” he was also saying you have faith.

That is encouraging! I, like Peter, sometimes have only have a little faith. When that happens, I can take heart, I only need a little faith. If you feel like you have little faith, it’s ok. You only need a little faith. God knows that sometimes our faith is small, We don’t have to have truckloads of faith, sometimes we only need a little faith and that little seed of faith if planted will grow and move mountains.

Comments

Live Fearlessly

As I was driving home today, I passed a person walking on the side of the road. Since it was cold, and snowy, I thought I should stop and offer the person a ride. As I drove on by, I was irritated with myself for not stopping. I could have and should have but I didn't. Why? I was scared! Maybe that wouldn't bother you, but I'm willing to bet there are things that make you afraid. It may be snakes or spiders that send the ticker into overdrive. Or maybe it's your job and finances that keep you up at night when you should be resting. Then again perhaps it's relationships that consume your thoughts and energy. As followers of God, we know that we are told not to be afraid. Yet we often are afraid despite everything we know. As I was driving away from a misse...

Tragedy: A Christian Response

I want to start by telling you a story. We were new parents. When Our oldest, a son, was about eighteen to twenty months we had another baby, a girl with brown hair and huge eyes. One day as I went to feed her, my son who may have been two at the time wandered off to another part of the house. The next thing I heard was a thud. I grabbed my baby girl and ran to see what happened. There was my son with a table on top of him. He had pulled it over on himself and more blood than I had ever seen was running all over. We put him in the car and dashed for the ER. It was not a fun trip. He had a skull fracture and many stitches. Fast forward about fourteen or fifteen years, I’m at a stop light and watch my youngest daughter about ten start across a street on a bike start across a street just as a truck comes around a corner into the path of the bike. She hit the side of the truck and bounced onto the road....

Thank you God for Leading us

Thank you God for how you lead us. Like a shepherd leading his sheep. Sometimes through the words you spoke in the Bible, your written word. at other times, it was the wise words from friends, coworkers,or neighbors spoken at just the right time. Still other times it was a gentle tug, a whisper to our heart to move in one direction or another; intuition or a sixth sense that one way or another was right or wrong Yet, when I listened and obeyed I found the way was clear, distinct and easy to follow. You never leave us to guess which way to go. ...

Inspirations

Search This Blog