Early one morning before Christmas, our faculty at school joined in prayer on behalf of two families with sudden life and death health emergencies. We understand God wants us to approach Him in faith… the type of faith that knows He is going to answer. But when the natural evidence is totally negative and our human minds say, “This is hopeless,” it is often challenging to pray with much confidence.
We’re not the first to struggle with such weakness; the apostles also desired more faith. “Lord, increase our faith,” they said to Jesus one time. We might be tempted to write an essay in response to such a request or hold a conference or at least preach a sermon, but Jesus simply spoke a matter-of-fact sentence. Our faculty read his response before we prayed, recalling that “faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the Word of God.” Another translation reads: “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17)
Jesus said: “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.” (Luke 17:6) That was the Word of God to the apostles and the message of Christ to us.
God answered the prayers we prayed that morning. I believe He has received much glory as many have recounted His faithfulness and power toward these two families.
Kristhel, Dana, and Kinsey
A few days later, on New Year’s Eve, two of Karlyn’s friends came to stay at our house during the Passion Conference in Atlanta. Several of us gathered that evening to pray and give thanks for God’s blessings and I shared the story above. The next morning our guests were the first to rise so I prepared a simple breakfast and we visited together.
These two girls from different countries are going to college as a result of scholarships instituted by the late Sam Walton, who died of multiple myeloma in 1992. Kristhel is from Costa Rica and Edith is from Belize.
Card
As we finished eating, Kristhel said, “I have something for you,” and left the kitchen. She came back with a little card containing a tiny seed with words in Spanish above and below. Fe was above the seed and these words were below: Grano de mostaza. “I carry this in my Bible, but I want you to have it. It is the story you told last night.”
I’ll carry this gift in my wallet this year… God knows what we need.
Written on the back of the card: “Es, pues, la fe la certeza de lo que se espera, la coneccion de lo que no se ve.” Hebreos: 11.1
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1