Lord, Help Us

"Because of your little faith," He told them. - Matthew 17:20

Jesus gave this reply to His disciples when they asked Him why they were unable to cast the demon out of the boy with epileptic-like seizures. Some translations substitute "unbelief" in the place of "little faith," which may shed a little more light on Jesus' response. How small was their faith? If you apply Christ's standard, their faith was smaller than a mustard seed, much smaller, for nothing is impossible for someone who possesses faith of that size.

I find this very challenging, even a bit chastising, don't you? While I long to believe God for the impossible, I don't always do it. Like Peter who stepped out of the boat to walk to Jesus, the waves get too big and I begin to sink into what seem to be overwhelming circumstances, and I'm not alone, the boy's father struggled, too.

I have learned that for the believer the greatest struggle is often not with "Can God?," but rather, "Will God?" Lord, help us with our unbelief.

When the idea of giving back to, investing in, or caring for others is far from our minds, myopia has set in. Worship is no longer about giving God glory and lifting up His name; it is about our wants, needs, and desires. - Kevin Harney