Faith Seeks
“He put another parable before them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.’”
Matthew 13:31
Matthew 9:18-19, 23-26
This and next week’s stories of faith are intertwined and also told in Mark 5 and Luke 12.
Jesus is approached by a man whose daughter has just died. He kneels before Jesus and says, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and she will live.”
I cannot imagine the pain of losing a child, but I have been with parents who have. Desperation, hopelessness, anger, and grief are all normal emotions to experience. No doubt, this father felt it all. But in the midst of the emotional upheaval, he chose to plant a seed of faith by leaving his home and seeking out Jesus. He kneels before Him, an example of submission, and plants his faith with these words: “come and lay your hand on her and she will live.”
And Jesus does. He follows the ruler to his home and restores his daughter to life. The father ignored the facts in front of him, kicked the mourners out of his house, and acted in an irrational way. God doesn’t ask us to be rational when it comes to faith. He asks us to seek Him regardless of how hopeless our situation seems.
Seeking Jesus is a common thread of faith. Without faith, we will not seek out the help, healing, and guidance of Jesus. But when we plant our faith in Him, we know that we can seek Him for everything. We can seek Him for the great miracles and for the seemingly small worries. I wish I could say that we always get what we ask for, but that’s not how God works. I don’t have the answers to those who ask why God didn’t heal, change our circumstances, or answer our prayers in the way we hoped and believed. I have lost loved ones who I knew God would heal. But He didn’t, instead, He chose to carry them Home.
What I’ve learned through the devastation of loss is that faith planted in Jesus never returns void. There is always a harvest for those who seek Him. The harvest of comfort comes when we grieve. The harvest of trust comes when we don’t understand but obey anyway. The harvest of grace covers us when we turn to God after running away. God is faithful, so plant even the tiniest, frailest seeds of faith in Jesus and watch in wonder as He produces a crop of righteousness, hope, joy, and wonder in your life.
Don’t hold tightly to your seed of faith. Plant it in the heart of Jesus.
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I want to follow Jesus! How do I get started?
“This is how we know that we live in Him and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.
1 John 4:13-15
If you are ready to join the family of God, simply believe and ask. You can choose your own words or pray the prayer below. God hears your heart, simply confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and let the Spirit lead you.
“Father, I want to be yours. Forgive me of my sins. I believe that you sent Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die in my place. I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior and thank you for the gift of salvation through Him. I invite the Holy Spirit into my heart and surrender my life to You. In Jesus name, Amen.”
Feel free to spend time just talking to God and sharing your heart with Him. Let Him speak to you and listen as He leads you forward into new life. Welcome to the family.
Need to talk or have questions? Feel free to reach out and contact me.