Why does he need this ‘mustard seed’ of faith? Can’t he do it anyway?
Underlying this sort of query there is another question widely and quietly held in the hearts of many people: If God is really good and all love, then why does he not simply act sovereignly and remove all suffering from the planet? Why does he demand a pinch of trust first? Because faith expectancy pleases him.
Why did Jesus constantly major on faith having such an important role in our receiving miracles of healing? Because looking for him in our troubles is our reaction to his love for us. Love demands a response.
Any one of us who comes to the resurrected Lord to receive any kind of miraculous benefit must somehow demonstrate to him that we completely believe he exists and rewards those of us who seriously seek him out in our weakness.
If we press up into him then he presses down into us. This is the dynamic by which actual, holy power comes across the veil between heaven and earth.
Thinking of the manner in which we pray, we can let our expectant faith in Jesus Christ take hold of us but we cannot take hold of him.
We may love to go so far as to sit on his knee but, when we do so, we will not be able to keep our feet off the ground for long, because the strains and stresses of the world bring restricting feelings, like a sort of cramp on our faith.
All we can do is hold out a lame faith to Jesus like a beggar holding out a stump instead of a whole arm and cry, “Lord Jesus, work a miracle!”
