Looking Up {or Faith the Size of a Mustard Seed}

 "Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring your son here." 

Luke 9:41

I was reminded today of how easily I can become faithless, just like the disciples.

Here, they had tried to help a demon possessed boy, because of the urgent plea of his father,

but all nine of them - 

those left behind to tend to the multitudes while Jesus and Peter,

John and James went up the mountain for the night -

were unable to do it.

The disciples had the power to cast out this demon.

It says in Luke 9:1, "..and He gave them power and authority over all demons.....". 

Just forty verses later, unbelief kept them from the ability to do it.

 

Unbelief.  Rooted in pride, self.

When our eyes drop from gazing above to heaven, it's joy and hope,

and sink low to look to ourselves,

to what we see or think we see,

to what's going on around us,

to who's on the mountain with Jesus while we're left to tend the mundane.

 

Pride kills faith.

 

We don't need a lot of faith.  Only faith the size of a mustard seed will do. 

It's pretty small really, the smallest of all seeds, according to Jesus. 

If we are willing, Jesus helps increase our faith, as we gaze back up

He encourages our faith, deepens it, strengthens it. 

 

All we need to do is look up - to Jesus, our sure hope, and His faithful promises.

"Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Heb. 12:1-2