Wednesday, June 17, 2026

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 be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you!” (Luke 17: 4 -6, New Living Translation)

[Some of you who know Susan’s family, the Neals (Bruce and Barb), may care to know that Susan’s youngest sister, Jennifer (61yrs old), passed away this past weekend succumbing to a nasty, aggressive rare form of cancer. Please keep our family in your prayers Thank you.]

                 I know that the more familiar version of this text comes from Matthew’s Gospel. In that passage, Jesus tells his followers that if we have even a mustard seed’s worth of faith, we could move mountains “There is nothing you wouldn’t be able to tackle.” (Matthew 17: 20, The Message Bible) But I don’t think I am up to dealing with any mountains today.  With God’s help, I think, I pray, that I may be able to start with something much smaller, like a mulberry bush and work my way up to throwing a mountain or two aside, later.

                There are times when, like the disciples, I long to have the sort of faith that would be invincible, unshakeable, limitless, fearless, indomitable. Never mind mountains, I would love to be able to look at the world right now with its wars, famines, death, evil, inanities, poor leadership, bad politics and social decay and not lose faith.  I keep telling myself that God is charge and try not to succumb to fear and doubt. But sometimes, the mountains crop up and block the view of the God-filled horizon. Show us, Jesus, how to increase our faith.

                Perhaps, it’s not the quantity of our faith, it’s the quality.

                I am working on another 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle. The scene, a painting of a seaside town, offers a kaleidoscope of colours. It has been very challenging which is the way I like my jigsaw puzzles. But I thought that I had lost a piece, an edge piece. There is nothing worse than doing a whole puzzle and finding it lacks just one piece to be completed. I could not find that piece among the all the remaining pieces.  Then a couple of days ago, I found it. It was right there all along. It was a very tiny piece, yet much needed to finish the puzzle.

                Perhaps, Jesus is saying that even a tiny portion of faith helps us face the puzzles in our lives, both big and small.  That tiny seed of faith, when cultivated, can grow and become significant enough to help us face whatever life throws at us.  Some degree of faith is needed to give us the strength and courage to deal with life’s challenges. For some, it may be the missing piece, but it is right there for any of us to discover and engage. We’re not whole until the last piece, faith, is applied to our situations, to our living. Faith is not measured by how many times we have gone to church this year, how long our prayers are, how much Bible we have memorized, how much we have given to charity. These are good results of faith.  It’s not the amount of our faith; it is its tenacity, its empowerment, its inspiration, its boldness and its perseverance which distinguishes it. A little faith can go a long way.

                The Apostle Paul never quantified faith, but it was the bedrock of much of his writings. Faith was the act of being connected with God, a salvation freely given through Jesus Christ.  Faith was getting right with God. Faith was the confidence that through Jesus Christ we are saved and given hope. Paul didn’t put faith in a measuring cup. It was boundless, free, energizing. “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.” (Romans 3:22) We live by that faith. Perhaps, we need not, should not, over-complicate it, over-theorize, twist it inside out, or muddle it up with too much theory and theology.  Have the simple faith that Jesus loves us. “Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.” (Ephesians 3;12) What more do we need to know?

                So, who knows? Today, a mulberry bush. Tomorrow, a mountain. With God’s help, we will overcome.

                “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:13)

 Prayer:

Our faithful God, we confess that we act more by sight than we do by faith. So, grant us the fresh flow of your Love and Grace, so that faith make take a deeper root in us. Help us to keep our eyes on Jesus, the perfector of our faith, so as to understand and experience that he stands with us in and through all of life’s challenges. Nurture our faith; help it to grow; help it to flourish. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Wednesday, June 10, 2026

“Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” (Mark 14:38, New Living Translation))

                  I know that I must be  looking old when I am out and about, wearing suspenders with my shorts already up to my arm-pits, using a walker and walking very slowly and a younger man offers to help me with the door.  Yikes. When did this happen? I raise my voice with the Psalmist: “Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak. Heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.” (Psalm 6:2)

                Well, not agony, per se, but just enough daily discomfort and disability to make life a little more awkward than I wish. I can’t do the things I use to do so easily. Susan out-paces me when we are out.  She now has to wait for me to catch up. That never ever happened before. So, yes, even though I am taking it somewhat out of context, I feel Jesus’ words apply to me. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. I am turning down some things I really wish I could do, preaching in Port Hope, assisting at Yorkminster Park, but I don’t trust my legs to support me or get me through the event. It’s quite annoying!

                Of course, Jesus didn’t have us old geezers in mind when he said this. He has been praying in the Garden of Gethsemane throughout the night, just before his arrest. It is an anguished, very human prayer, hoping that God will forestall the terrible outcome of the cross. He has left his disciples a little way off, to keep watch, do some praying themselves. But he comes back and finds them asleep. He must have felt very alone, very vulnerable, very abandoned by those he trusted and loved. Jesus chides the disciples for their lack of preparation for what lies ahead and for their susceptibility to give into the temptations of flight, denial and betrayal which they will face once Jesus is arrested, tried and crucified.

                So, first and foremost, our text challenges us to examine our best intentions to stand by Jesus in each and every circumstance.  We don’t quit on Jesus just because the going gets tough. We don’t get distracted by our humanity when we feel life become too hard or too risky or too exhausting. We don’t fade away in the background when Jesus demands our contribution to his mission. Jesus told many a parable that championed alertness, readiness, preparedness and faithful response to the call of the Master.  We need to practice more than just an intellectual attitude of obedience but put our heart, body and soul into our walk with Jesus.

                The Message Bible’s  paraphrase of our text is very colourful and witty. “Stay alert, be in prayer, so you don’t enter the danger zone without even knowing it. Don’t be naive. Part of you is eager, ready for anything in God; but another part is as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.”  Yet it still reminds us of the necessity to face the future with diligence and prayerful groundwork. Don’t let the day takes us unawares. Don’t let the moment catch off guard. Don’t let the devil catch us sleeping. “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” (Ephesians 5: 14)

                But I am okay if we also appropriate Jesus’ words to encourage us when we simply don’t feel spiritually able or faithfully strong enough to meet the demands of today or tomorrow; when mind, body and soul become weak and disabled. We may be well aware of the demands or burdens that are placed upon us but we find we  lack the energy, the strength, the capacity to step into the troubles or adversities we are trying to cope with. Prayer is our source of strength, encouragement, resolve and hope. “Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.” (Romans 12:12) We may know this is true but can neglect the practices of faith when under pressure or duress. The spirit may be willing but the rest of us is too fatigued, worn out and stressed out to lift our hearts to God and regain our footing and match our stride with the One who loves us and has compassion for us.         

            He never grows weak or weary.
            No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
            He gives power to the weak
                    and strength to the powerless.
            Even youths will become weak and tired,
                    and young men will fall in exhaustion.
            But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
            They will soar high on wings like eagles.
            They will run and not grow weary.
            They will walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40: 28 -31)

 Prayer:

O God of compassion and grace, we confess to you our weariness and inertia. We know what is right and good but there are times we fail to even take small steps to live up to your great Love and to walk with Jesus. Stir us, O Lord. Re-invigorate our passion to follow you. Re-kindle the pride in good works and bearing fruit for your Kingdom. Help us to keep watch through the dark nights of the soul and may alert for the signs of Jesus’ Kingdom. In his name, we pray. Amen.

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

“It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation.” (Galatians 6:15, New Living Translation)

            I am a sucker for lists, especially top ten lists. My browser gives me all sorts of lists each and every day. Just today, for example, I can read “The worst movies of all time, or  “19 habits that are silently sabotaging your health” or “11 phrases people are using when they are not telling the truth” or “men who truly respect women never do these 10 things” or “11 things that are making you older before your time.” Fascinating, right? Don’t tell you’re not a little intrigued. I have no idea how they came up with these lists or whom they polled or if they polled anyone at all. They could be AI generated for all I know but if one takes them with a grain of salt, they are kind of amusing and usually make a little sense.

            My favourite biblical list contains The Beatitudes (Matthew 5: 3 – 12) Count your blessings, indeed! But there all sorts of other kinds of lists, like the Ten Commandments, for instance. The Apostle Paul gives us lists of spiritual gifts, talents and abilities. “In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.” (Romans 12: 6 -8)

            His list about the best gift of all, Love, is a classic. “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (1 Corinthians 13:  4-7)

            Another one of his lists concerns the qualities of a Christian’s life. “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22) Or Paul advises us to “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” (Philippians 4:8)

            As I get older, I need to make lists for myself so that I will remember the things I need to shop for. If I don’t, I will just about always forget an item, usually the one I went out to get in the first place.  These lists I have lifted from our scriptures are very useful reminders about the pursuit of a healthy, full-bodied Christian lifestyle.  It doesn’t mean we carry around a checklist and gives ourselves a credit every time we meet an objective.  But these are helpful reminders of attitudes, actions and words that befit a follower of Jesus Christ.  These sorts of lists define our daily routines, our interactions with others, our relationship with God and our faith walk. They give us direction and purpose. They lead us into the correct paths of righteousness. And if we forget, once in a while, they are right there in our Bibles, ready to remind us and refresh our memories and set us on the right path once more. It can’t get any more useful, practical, convenient or available than that.

            And as Paul wrote in our text, what really counts is that we are transformed into a new life.

 

Prayer:

Our Loving God. We are blessed that you don’t count our sins against us, but through Jesus Christ we are counted as redeemed and sanctified. There are no limits to your Love and Grace, your Mercy and Forgiveness. May our response to such a  Love be a bountiful and plentiful life of good works, good words, good relationships with others. May we not count the cost of a Christian life well lived, but invest ourselves fully in our walk withy Jesus, in whose name we pray, amen.