This morning I was reading a post by Max Lucado. It began me thinking a little more about what Jesus said can be done with faith. Here is a portion of what Max wrote: “Jesus spilled his blood for you. You can spill your heart before God. Jesus said if you have faith, you can tell a mountain to go and jump into the sea (Mark 11:23).”
“What is your mountain? Call out to God for help…today! Will he do what you want? I cannot say, but this I can. He will do what is best!”
The last year has been a difficult time for my family. It has been a difficult time for the congregation that I previously served. We all came with expectations but no one, including myself, seemed to clearly define the expectations. Then when expectations were not met, instead of talking about it in helpful ways, other avenues were sought.
At times, it seemed as if I was in a living hell. At times it seemed to be that God must not be present. Of course, I knew that was not true, but you know the old saying, “It’s hard to see the forest through the trees”. My mountain that I attempted to move, was to overcome all the adversity we were experiencing. Not only against myself and family, but the congregation, parsonage, community and so on.
I failed to rely enough on God, in faith, to move the mountain. It was when I sunk to my deepest moment, that through my wife, the Holy Spirit reached out and shook me. It was then, that my focus began to change. It was then that help came to me from fellow pastors, the bishop, a clergy life coach, and later on friends inside the congregation.
Faith, belief and trust in the promises of God, is what moves mountains. Faith that God put certain people in my life to assist me. Faith that God was on the scene in the Holy Spirit. Faith that Jesus Christ suffered so I did not have to. It was Faith, that moved the mountain. It was faith that grew in the face of adversity. It was faith that brought me to a new call. It is faith that will heal the previous congregation. It is faith that will move the mountains that we will face at my new congregation.
We always have mountains to face. No matter “how great” life may seem, there will be obstacles (mountains) in the way. The key is to keep our hearts, minds, ears, eyes and our very being, tuned to the Holy Spirit. It is then that we can toss the mountain (through faith) into the ocean. It is then, that nothing can stand in our ways and nothing can crush us.
As Max says below: “Jesus spilled his blood for you. You can spill your heart before God. Jesus said if you have faith, you can tell a mountain to go and jump into the sea (Mark 11:23).”
“What is your mountain? Call out to God for help…today! Will he do what you want? I cannot say, but this I can. He will do what is best!”
Let us together, as church, walking in faith, go move our mountains!
Moving our mountains through faith.
Very nice post, Pastor. And Max Lucado can certainly be inspiring. One thing you wrote though did make me wince a bit. “…Jesus suffered so I did not have to.” I think I know what you’re getting at there – He paid the price of our sin and thereby redeemed us, conquering even death. However, that doesn’t shield us from suffering. In fact, Jesus flat out tells us to expect suffering. “In this world you will have trouble.” Fortunately, He also follows that immediately with “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Jn 16:33) The key then in the Christian walk is not to avoid suffering but rather to embrace it and recognize that our suffering has value when we join it to His on the cross. Easier said than done, of course. God Bless.
I should have expressed myself more clearly. I should have said that Jesus suffered, so we do not have to eternally suffer. Into every life there is suffering and mountains that must be overcome and moved. We can and will with God’s help. Sometimes the resolution does not come to the end, but in the end all is resolved by God in Christ Jesus.