The power to lift an X-Wing

Today's Readings:
Exodus 29-30
Matthew 21

“I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.” (Matthew 21:21-22)

Oh great...there you have it...I can't move a mountain...I have no faith!!!

Let's see...in Matthew 21 Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey and everyone cheers (they would yell loudly later on in the week as we will soon see, but they won't be cheering.) He clears the temple (which is one of my favorite parts of the Bible I must say) and He gets into it with the Pharisees (What else is new...Cause they just never really got it.)

But stuck in the middle of all this Jesus sees a fig tree, with no fruit :-( and Jesus says “May you never bear fruit again!” and immediately the fig tree withers up. Needless to say the disciples were amazed when they saw this (and just now I am wondering once again why this amazed them. Had they met Jesus?!?! These guys had been with Him for how long now and they keep getting amazed at things He does. But before we get to harsh on these guys I think we should realize that we ought to be amazed everyday at what God can and does do...He's AMAZING!!! So yeah, be amazed :-)

But they ask anyway, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”

and Jesus says “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”
(Matthew 21:21-22 ESV)

So much for my faith. I can't even say to a rock "hey, wiggle just a bit for me will ya" let alone tell a mountain to go jump into the ocean. Now I learned tonight that moving a mountain was a common metaphor in Jewish literature for doing what was seemingly impossible. Well, that makes me feel a little better about my faith.

but I think the real lesson here is this...

If I have faith in God and trust in HIm and His ways fully their is nothing I cannot accomplish for Him. (Heck, I am guessing that if God really wanted me to throw a mountain into the ocean and I had full faith that He wanted me to do it...well, that mountain is taken a swim my friends :-)

The point of this verse is simple I think. Put God first and seek Him. Trust in His ways fully and His purposes for your life. Follow Him whatever the cost and don't be looking out for what you want but for what God wills. Our prayers and actions should reflect a humble and willing submission to the leading of God's Spirit.

Will I ever move a mountain in my life? I am guessing not, but can I do what seems impossible if I trust in God and follow after Jesus??

Yeah, now that I can do :-)

Tomorrow's Readings:
Exodus 31-32
Matthew 22