Jim Mann
“Simeon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ: To those who have received a faith equal to ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:1)
It’s very clear. When we are born again, we are given a gift of faith … the same faith of the Apostle Peter. One of my favorite stories of faith is about an evangelist in England in the mid-1800s named George Mueller. He and his wife started several orphanages in Bristol.
One of his biographies reads, “‘The children are dressed and ready for school. But there is no food for them to eat,’ the housemother of the orphanage informed Mr. Mueller. George asked her to take the 300 children into the dining room and have them sit at the tables. He thanked God for the food and waited. George knew God would provide food for the children as he always did. Within minutes, a baker knocked on the door. ‘Mr. Mueller,’ he said, ‘last night I could not sleep. Somehow I knew that you would need bread this morning. I got up and baked three batches for you. I will bring it in.’
“Soon, there was another knock at the door. It was the milkman. His cart had broken down in front of the orphanage. The milk would spoil by the time the wheel was fixed. He asked George if he could use some free milk. George smiled as the milkman brought in 10 large cans of milk. It was just enough for the 300 thirsty children.”
All too often we think, “If I just had the faith of George Mueller, or Billy Graham, or Mother Theresa, I could really make a difference in the world!” Sometimes we mutter those words out of frustration, but sometimes we use it as an excuse. “I know I’m not making much of a difference in the world, but I just lack the faith. It is what it is.”
This may surprise you, but you have the same kind of faith as George Mueller and Mother Theresa. You have the same kind of faith as Abraham, the “Father of the Faith.”
So what’s the difference between these heroes of the faith and us? When Jesus talked to his disciples about faith, he said, “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20, CSB)
He used the analogy of a seed to describe faith. We’re all given a seed. At the end of our lives, some of us will still only have seeds. Others will plant our faith seed, water it and weed it, and at the end of our days, we’ll see that tiny faith seed become a large, strong tree … for some, even a forest!
Water your faith with us this Sunday!
Jim Mann, Ph.D., pastors New Life Church at Robson Ranch. This interdenominational church meets at the Robson clubhouse on Sunday mornings at 8:30 a.m. and online at 10 a.m. Visit www.newlifedenton.org for more information or visit his blog at www.drjimmann.com.