September 12, 2024 - Luke 16-19

The apostles to Jesus:  “Increase our faith!”  And Jesus then taught about the mustard seed.  How often have I thought about this episode and other teachings of Jesus about faith.  Like the apostles, I have often wanted to cry out, “Lord, increase my faith.”  It is so easy to go through a day, weeks, months, and just fall into the rut of doing stuff.  Here’s the thing.  Not only do we tend to fall into the everyday rut and commonplace happenings, but we ask for something big, and God does not do that.  And so, we cry out, “Lord, increase my faith!”  But that faith must not be focused merely on the miraculous; rather, it is faith in the Lord, that is, that he knows what he is doing, that he is wise, that he is accomplishing his good and perfect will.  Even in the face of nothing of particular note occurring, I can still trust him.  It’s easy to “have faith” when something marvelous, and even miraculous, occurs.  The trick is to maintain faith even when God does not choose to act in such a way.  And so, “Lord, increase my faith!  No matter what the moment holds – an everyday, commonplace ministry opportunity or a great and marvelous sight – keep my eyes and my trust focused on you!”

O for a faith that will not shrink,

Though pressed by every foe,

That will not tremble on the brink

Of any earthly woe.

A faith that shines more bright and clear

When tempests rage without:

That when in danger knows no fear,

In darkness feels no doubt;

Lord, give us such a faith as this;

And then, what e’er may come,

I’ll taste, e’en now, the hallowed bliss

Of an eternal home.   --William Hiley Bathurst (1831)