Coming to his home town, he taught the people in their synagogue in such a way that they were astonished and said, ‘Where did the man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? 57 And they would not accept him… 58 and he did not work many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Matthew 13:54, 57a, 58
I am often perplexed when I read this scripture. What I find most puzzling is the fact that Jesus could work no miracles in His home town because of the lack of faith of the people.
But today, reading it again, I’ve realised that it wasn’t simply that the people lacked faith e.g. in miracles (as was my previous misconception) but more fundamentally, they lacked faith in Jesus as the Messiah.
They had become too familiar with Him.
Let us stop now and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to us about this.
Come Holy Spirit of the Living GOD, fall afresh on us! Amen!
I feel as though a significant part of the puzzle that I’ve been missing for years has been placed into the picture.
The simple truth is that lack of faith, hinders our ability to tap into miracles from God.
However, much deeper than that, lack of faith in Jesus Christ hinders His ability to work miracles in our lives.
This is even more so where we are supposed to know Him deeply as members of His Body, the Church.
When we become over familiar with the Gospel and Scriptures that we zone out (unconsciously I’m sure) because we’ve heard that Bible verse so many times.
So many times, that it becomes too familiar for us and we lose hold of the message or fail to anchor our faith onto it as the Living Word of God.
The same Word of God Who became flesh and dwelt in our midst, speaks to us daily in the Gospel.
Oh, what a failure on my part to have ceased to recognise His voice and treasure it in my heart as Mary did each time she heard a message concerning Jesus.
When we reject the truth of our faith and follow ungodly ways, then we separate ourselves from His infinte power.
Of course sometimes God in His great mercy and wisdom would reach out to us in the depths of our abyss and save us, this in itself is a mighty miracle.
Today, let us realise that with God, all things are possible. The only limit that creates limitations in our ability to experience His power is our faith in Him.
He has assured us that if we had faith as a mustard seed, we would command mountains to move into the sea and they would obey!
Praise GOD!!!
Prayer
O LORD Jesus, You are the Eternal Word of the Father. The Word made flesh, Who dwelt and still dwells among us.
Though You are now seated at the Right Hand of the Father on High, You daily come to us in Your Word and in Your Sacrament.
You have baptised us with Your Spirit Who daily speaks to us in Your Name.
Forgive our hardness of heart and failure to recognise You as You really are.
Change us, speak to us again and give us the grace of willing hearts that are always meekly bowed down before You to hear Your Word and to obey Your truth.
Jesus, we trust in You!
Jesus, I trust in You!
Jesus, our hearts trust in You!
Amen!
Always & Forever,
To the Lamb,
With all my ❤
31 July 2020