Essential request
The apostles said to the Lord, “Show us how to increase our faith.” The Lord answered, “If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it would obey you! “When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, ‘Come in and eat with me’? No, he says, ‘Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.’ And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.’” Luke 17:5-10
Do you feel that there are times that your faith is weak and lacking? When that takes place you begin to doubt that God is in control. Jesus rebuked His disciples when He was with them and they encountered the storm. He told them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40) Weak faith will also lead to a lack of spiritual vigor. David found himself losing spiritual motivation when Saul was running after him. Then Jonathan came and “encouraged him to stay strong in his faith in God” (1 Samuel 23:16). When faith is weak you will also start to doubt the love of God and that He does not care. Jesus reminded His disciples that He cares so much for them and that He wants them to surrender to Him all their worries and cares. “And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?” (Luke 12:28) When we are experiencing that our faith in Him is starting to wane, like what the apostles did from the text, we have to ask Him to increase our faith (see Luke 17:5). Just like what He promised to His disciples, when we pray and asked Him to increase our faith, He will respond in love and will strengthen our faith. Paul also admonished the church in Rome to listen to God’s Word if they want their faith to increase. “Faith comes from hearing the Word” (Romans 10:17). It is God’s desire that our faith will increase. He even intercedes on our behalf praying that our faith will remain strong. “But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail” (Luke 22:32). God told Peter that when his faith in God is strong, God will use him to strengthen others. We cannot resolve on our own that we have the ability to increase our faith. It is only God who could increase our faith and it is up to us to ask for faith is the gift of God. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Blessings,
Noel De Guzman
www.my-wbc.com
