Reflecting on Mark 11:12-26
"'Have faith in God,' Jesus answered." (Mark 11:22)Peter sees the withered fig tree Jesus cursed, and is surprised.
Jesus responds to Peter’s surprise by talking about prayer.
Prayer itself is not a thing, it is a label for things we do.
Prayer is opening our heart to God – our praise, our hopes, our gratitude, our requests.
It is the expression of a heart that hopes and trusts in God.
Faith is a word that describes this hope and trust in God.
Jesus did not curse the fig tree to demonstrate the power of prayer.
It was an expression of His heart for God, and for the fruit of goodness.
The fruitless fig tree symbolized the curse on creation.
Jesus was cursing the curse, to release creation from the curse.
Jesus is confident in the goodness of God’s creation.
He comes to make creation ‘very good’ again, to restore good fruit and goodness.
This is also behind His cleansing of the temple.
He is restoring it as a place of justice, mercy, love and goodness.
Do you have faith in this God, and in His desire for goodness?
If so, then set your own heart toward justice, mercy, love and goodness.
Believe that this is God’s will, and stand against all that is opposite.
Trust that as we oppose mountains of evil with mustard seed faith, they will move.
It seems obvious to me that Jesus uses ‘mountain’ in a symbolic way.
No matter how great the power of evil, God’s goodness will overcome it.
With faith we can overcome evil with goodness (Romans 12:21).
Prayer is not a device to get what we want.
Our faith is not in prayer, our faith is in God and in Who God is.
We are not confident in ourselves either, our faith is in God.
We know that we are weak, that we are flawed and fall short.
My faith is weak, my goodness is weak, far short of God’s goodness.
Which is why our faith is in God’s goodness, God’s grace and mercy.
Awareness of this should affect our hearts, towards God and others.
Our heart’s response (prayer) should show appreciation for grace.
Which is why Jesus then talks about forgiving others.
We can be confident in God’s gracious goodness.
We also need to be committed to God’s gracious goodness.
Our hearts need to reflect that gracious goodness to others.
Just as we are forgiven by grace, others are to be forgiven too.
They may be stained by sin, but so are we.
If our confidence is in God’s gracious goodness, theirs can be too.
As followers of Jesus, we are both recipients and receptacles of grace.
We can be confident that our expression of God’s grace can move mountains.
We can be certain that our imitation of God’s good fruit can bless others.
We will become like fig trees bearing good fruit for the hungry.
We will become like temples of welcome and refuge for seekers and strugglers.
We know the power of God’s gracious goodness, and we eagerly use it for others.
I do not have faith in the power of prayer.
I do not have faith in my own efforts or strength or goodness.
I do not believe that prayer is a technique to make things happen.
My faith is in God, in the power of God’s gracious goodness.
I am committed, with my mustard seed faith, to imitating God’s gracious goodness.
And I have faith that somehow, God will move mountains of evil through this!
I have faith that as I share God’s forgiveness, hardened hearts will soften.
Doors will be opened, obstacles removed, and hearts will be changed.
By faith I curse cancer, by faith I curse injustice.
By faith I curse abuse of any kind, by faith I curse poverty and war.
By faith I ask for healing, by faith I ask for violence to end.
By faith I pray against the gangs in Haiti, by faith I support Haitian kids and schools.
By faith I do not join in excluding others, by faith I am eager to include others.
By faith I do not curse people, but rather bless them by faith.
“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” (Romans 12:14)
By faith I show kindness, forgiveness, patience, gentleness.
By faith I help those who struggle, by faith I welcome ‘sinners’.
Though such actions seem weak against mountains, by faith I know they are stronger.
Never underestimate the power of God’s gracious goodness!
“‘Have faith in God,’ Jesus answered.” (Mark 11:22)
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, You have shown me God's gracious goodness, and I believe in this. I want this for me, and I want this for everyone. Use my mustard seed of faith, my weak but sincere desire for hope and love to overcome mountains of pain, misery, despair unfairness, cruelty, hate.
Strengthen my faith in God's gracious goodness, so that I live it out boldly with whoever I meet, whatever I face.
Each day I walk in His SonShine. Each day I need to be a channel of His peace. Each day I ask for His guidanceHis wisdom as I meet the challenges ofthe day. And soI go forward this day in knowing that He is with me in all I do and say. I just need to trust and obey His Word.
1 When we walk with the Lord
in the light of his word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will,
he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
2 Not a burden we bear,
not a sorrow we share,
but our toil he doth richly repay;
not a grief or a loss,
not a frown or a cross,
but is blest if we trust and obey. [Refrain]
3 But we never can prove
the delights of his love
until all on the altar we lay;
for the favor he shows,
for the joy he bestows,
are for them who will trust and obey. [Refrain]
4 Then in fellowship sweet
we will sit at his feet,
or we’ll walk by his side in the way;
what he says we will do,
where he sends we will go;
never fear, only trust and obey. [Refrain]