My sweet little three-old granddaughter has the typical innocent faith of a child. In the morning (like clockwork), you can hear the pitter-patter of her little feet as she comes running down the hallway, throws open the bedroom door and boldly declares- “Good morning, Gigi. The sun is up!”
The truth is the moment she opens her eyes she is confident that it is a new day and the sun is up; even if the house is dark and the sky outside is gray she still believes the sun is somewhere to be found (despite what she can or cannot see).
Why is it so difficult as an adult to have such unabashed confidence or faith?
When did we lose the ability to blindly trust?
Did we become so jaded and cynical when we were disabused of the truth of Santa Claus that we became unable to believe in the unseen or did the hard knocks of life simply beat us down and rob us of our innocence?
Faith= Hope or confidence in something that is not yet seen.
Our struggle with faith isn’t new and it isn’t a clandestine issue- rather a timeless battle that we continue to wrestle.
"You don't have enough faith," Jesus told them. "I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible." Matthew 17:20- (NLT)
If we position ourselves to win this wrestling match then nothing would be impossible- true faith would be ours!
Martha of Bethany is one woman that knew how to conquer disbelief and reaped the benefit of her faith.
Martha lived with her sister Mary and her brother Lazarus in Bethany, Israel and had at least two encounters with Jesus.
The first encounter, she welcomed Jesus into her home and hosted a dinner in his honor. (Luke 10:38)
The second encounter with Jesus is where we see her extraordinary confession of faith when Jesus arrives at Lazarus’ tomb, four days after Martha’s beloved brother has died.
“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” -John 11:21-27 (NIV)
As the narrative continues, Martha calls her sister Mary Magdalene to Jesus and the stone is removed from the tomb’s entrance. Jesus then simply prays and calls Lazarus forth alive from the tomb!
Ok, talk about faith… a woman that simply encountered Jesus over a dinner party then trusts that he can raise her brother from the dead!? Not, he just stopped breathing for four minutes but her brother was dead for FOUR DAYS!
A call to belief in something that she has NEVER seen before- a belief in the impossible!
Yet, she innocently responds that she KNOWS that God will give Jesus whatever he asks and that the impossible is possible.
This blind faith resulted in her brother walking alive free from the tomb of death!
The impossible is possible with childlike faith.
Let's take back and claim our childlike faith, which may seem small like a mustard seed but can be so powerful that it moves mountains and raises the dead!
Father, I’m praying for childlike faith- that we will reconnect with the innocent faith that we had as little children and be able to boldly declare that the Lord is risen and that through Him all things are indeed possible.
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” – John 11:40