A lesson in faith

Lk 17:5-10 NASU

5 The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" 6 And the Lord said, "If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and be planted in the sea'; and it would obey you.

7 "Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come immediately and sit down to eat'? 8 "But will he not say to him, ' Prepare something for me to eat, and properly clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink'? 9 "He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? 10 "So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.'"

In the passage above the disciples ask Jesus to increase their faith. Notice that they did not ask him to strengthen their faith. They wanted more of what Jesus had already given them.

Jesus responds to this request in a rather unusual way. He tells his disciples that they need simply to do what they have been asked by God to do!

How does that increase faith?

Look at Romans 10:17. Paul says that faith comes from hearing, and hearing comes from the word of Christ. The word "hearing" has a similar root to the word for "obey." It isn't the "hearing" alone that matters, it is the response to what is heard that has an effect (see James 1:22-25). When we learn God's character by hearing and heeding his voice, we increase areas for us to practice (and thereby increase) our faith.

Jesus says in Luke 17 that faith the size of a mustard seed could plant trees in the sea and move mountains! It doesn't take a lot of faith to accomplish something--it simply takes applying faith in the proper character--the character of God!

We are called to strenghten feeble knees and weak arms, but we should increase our faith by learning what God is doing and by faith walking into it. Faith is a gift that says in our heart "God wants to do this--I'll do it with him!"

Our faith needs increasing by learning from God what his character is like and what he wants to accomplish through us. Then we need to do it. When we do it, we will find our faith increased.

Trees will be uprooted and mountains moved.

Will we let God do it in us?