If faith can move mountains, why doesn't the landscape look different? I'm surrounded by mountains where I live and I've not heard of any dramatic changes to them, but perhaps that's not exactly what Jesus meant.
"Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, `Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you. "Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions." (Mark 11:23-25)
At first glance Jesus seems to make a blanket promise about receiving everything we ask for in prayer if we have enough faith. But in the same breath He also talks about forgiving and forgiveness. What's that all about?
The "mountains" that often need to be moved are related to issues of forgiveness. Often the greatest obstacles we face have to do with forgiving others. And these are the "mountains" that need to be moved in faith.
Many of us face no greater mountains than those of forgiveness. Long-standing issues loom over our lives like the shadows of giant mountains. The passing of time has left us with seemingly impossible alienation from friends or family who we were once close to. Deeds done remain unresolved and have grown from proverbial molehills into mountains. We've tried to forget but the mountain shadows remain as constant reminders.
This is what the promise of "moving mountains" is really about. Hopeless conflict can be resolved; broken relationships can be mended. And this opens up the pathway for effective prayer - to receive what we believe and ask for. In fact, the opposite is also true - we often do not receive what we ask for in prayer and faith because of "mountains" of unforgiveness.
Is there a broken or damaged relationship that is causing you pain? Does a solution to the problem seem as impossible as moving a huge mountain? Be encouraged as you pray - through faith that unresolved and unforgiven situation can be remedied.
May this be a mountain-moving day.
Steve
"Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, `Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you. "Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions." (Mark 11:23-25)
At first glance Jesus seems to make a blanket promise about receiving everything we ask for in prayer if we have enough faith. But in the same breath He also talks about forgiving and forgiveness. What's that all about?
The "mountains" that often need to be moved are related to issues of forgiveness. Often the greatest obstacles we face have to do with forgiving others. And these are the "mountains" that need to be moved in faith.
Many of us face no greater mountains than those of forgiveness. Long-standing issues loom over our lives like the shadows of giant mountains. The passing of time has left us with seemingly impossible alienation from friends or family who we were once close to. Deeds done remain unresolved and have grown from proverbial molehills into mountains. We've tried to forget but the mountain shadows remain as constant reminders.
This is what the promise of "moving mountains" is really about. Hopeless conflict can be resolved; broken relationships can be mended. And this opens up the pathway for effective prayer - to receive what we believe and ask for. In fact, the opposite is also true - we often do not receive what we ask for in prayer and faith because of "mountains" of unforgiveness.
Is there a broken or damaged relationship that is causing you pain? Does a solution to the problem seem as impossible as moving a huge mountain? Be encouraged as you pray - through faith that unresolved and unforgiven situation can be remedied.
May this be a mountain-moving day.
Steve
posted by steve @ 9:55 AM
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