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Listen while you read: "I Have Decided To Follow Jesus"1
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Luke 17:6 – He replied, "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." (NIV)
Travelling through the mountains offers many fabulous views. One which I find most inspiring is when I encounter the bison. You can see the males from a great distance away. Suddenly, your eye will discern this large dark spot in the landscape and you wonder, What is that? As you draw closer, it begins to take shape. Eventually, you are near enough to realize that it is this huge and magnificent creature called a bison. Their size and strength are formidable, totally awesome, and not something to take lightly as a traveller. If they are occupying the road, you wait patiently at a distance until they decide to move on, and then and only then is it safe to proceed.
Yet, these great creatures didn't begin this way. As we journeyed this spring, we saw several newborn bison calves, and I was astounded at just how tiny they were. One article that I read stated that bison calves weigh between 30-50 pounds at birth whereas newborn cow calves generally weigh 70-80 pounds.
However, those little bison calves eventually grow into 1,100- to 2,000-pound adults, able to defend themselves against the fiercest predators, including man.
I think that faith looks a lot like those tiny bison calves. It may not look like much when we first begin to believe in Christ by faith, but it has the potential to grow and mature into something that has the power to defend us against the mightiest foes that this world sends against our way.
I remember, as a young Christian, being so uncertain concerning what God could or couldn't do and what I should or shouldn't ask of Him. As I studied and grew spiritually, however, I experienced just how dependable and faithful God was as I prayed and trusted Him for the best answer, instead of trusting in myself to bring about the answer that I desired. I learned that faith isn't something that we can conjure up; it simply comes from trusting and relying upon God one day at a time. It's about learning to face obstacles and challenges, no matter how overwhelming they may seem, one moment, one hour at a time in His strength and through His wisdom, rather than our own. It's about giving Him that tiny mustard seed of faith that we have and then watching Him grow it into something large enough to empower us to face and overcome whatever we may encounter in this life.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Jesus and how our dependence upon Him grows our faith one day at a time, empowering us to do the impossible, not in our own strength but in His. In Christ's name, we pray. Amen.
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About the author:
Lynne Phipps <lynnephippsatlin@gmail.com>
Tawatinaw, Alberta, Canada
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So true, Lynne. Have a great Sunday.
Amen. Happy Canada Day weekend, Lynne. Blessings.
Another beautiful message Lynne.
Thank you.
Thanks, Lynne, just what I needed for today.
Bless you for the insights you share, from God’s creation.
Lynne, I’m so thankful our Great God can do and does GREAT THINGS! Thank you for writing today!
Thanks, Lynne,
Your bison story was lovely and the application very important for everyone. I’m so glad that the Lord is inspiring you to keep writing.
Blessings to you and your family.
Greetings Lynne and many thanks for another of your special writings. Yes, we must be so thankful for all the things God has created and especially for giving us Jesus and His everlasting presence with us. Through your writings you have a beautiful talent of interweaving your interaction with God’s creatures with how Jesus shows His ongoing love for us. Blessings and enjoy a wonderful day.
Good morning my friend.
I know what you mean about the bison, wow, and as I kept reading these words made me think that is exactly what was happening when Matthew got so sick and passed away. Only God can do what He did for me during this time and for everyday since. God is so faithful and companionate.
God bless.
Good morning, Lynne,
This devotional is wonderful. I had no idea bison would be in the mountains. I always picture them on the plains. I also think it is amazing that such a large animal lives on grasses. It is an interesting fact that their calves are smaller than a cow’s at birth. Of course the most important idea is about how our faith can grow from a very tiny spark of belief to something so powerful that helps us through all the tough times and provides comfort and love and the desire to help others to believe.
It is interesting that “O Canada” was chosen to go with your devotional. HAPPY CANADA. Blessings.
A large bull moose is the same as the bison when it is full grown. They both start off small and do not weigh much but when they are full grown, they are extremely formidable animals. I have seen many cars who have hit a moose on the road and the car ends up in the ditch totally destroyed and the moose saunters off on his way to wherever he was heading.
I have seen pickups that push the bull moose down the highway honking their horn at it. I have seen the moose begin to snort and I just wait back aways to see if the moose is going to turn and charge the pickup truck. This time the moose just went off the side of the road and turned toward the truck and snorted and moved his feet like he was getting ready to charge it, but he did not. Instead after a few minutes he went down into the gully and the trees. I waited a while then I proceeded to go to where I lived giving thanks for the patience of the moose. The moose reflects in many ways the patience of our Lord with us when we do not take the time to listen to Him and to proceed under His direction. We can be in such a hurry as the pickup was totally oblivious to what Jesus is trying to say to them. I like to think we practiced the patience of Jesus with us as we waited for the moose to respond as we are called to wait on the Lord for his guidance and direction.
Blessings.
Thank you, Lynne, We encountered those bison once in the badlands of South Dakota, right in the middle of the road. They are incredible. And a good example of how big our faith can grow.
Hello Lynne,
Thank you for sharing your story on the PresbyCan Daily devotionals. In particular, I liked your take on the parable. “It’s about giving Him that tiny mustard seed of faith that we have and then watching Him grow it into something large enough to empower us to face and overcome whatever we may encounter in this life.” According to this parable, we have less faith than a mustard seed or we should be able to move trees and mountains. I always thought of this parable as God expecting us to grow our faith through our life experiences, trials and errors. I never thought of it as giving God the control of growing the “mustard seed” in us. I guess this is what it means to completely submit yourself to God through Jesus Christ. Thinking about this, you are right, the more we trust in God, the more we communicate through prayer and let God lead us, we grow spiritually in our faith.
Thank you, Lynne. Blessings,
(ON)