I think about faith quite a bit and I long to have more than I have. Jesus speaks of faith numerous times in the Gospels. He is amazed by the faith that he finds in some cases, and he is amazed by the lack of faith in other cases.

Jesus found faith in a Canaanite woman, who was hoping Jesus would cast out a demon from her daughter. Even after Jesus called her a dog she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” Jesus said, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.”

In the seventh chapter of Luke, Jesus heals the slave of a Centurion. He was on his way to the Centurion’s house when the Centurion sent a messenger to intercept him. He said, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; therefore I did not presume to come to you. But only speak the word, and let my servant be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, “Go,' and he goes, and to another, “Come’, and he comes, and to my slave, "Do this,' and the slave does it." Jesus cured his slave. Jesus was amazed at the faith of the Centurion, and he said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”

In the second chapter of Mark, Jesus is impressed with the faith of four people who lower their paralyzed friend to him through a hole that they dug in the roof of a home. First of all Jesus forgave the sins of the paralyzed man, and then Jesus healed him.

Sometimes Jesus was amazed, and probably frustrated by the lack of faith he found in even his closest followers. In the forth chapter of Mark the disciples fear for their lives because of a storm that they are afraid will swamp their boat. They awaken Jesus, and Jesus calms the storm. After calming the storm, “He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?"”

In the seventeenth chapter of Matthew Jesus casts a demon out of a boy. The boy’s father had asked the disciples to cast out the demon, but they were unable to do so. They asked Jesus why they had been unable to cast out the demon. “He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, "Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."”

Most of us are familiar with the story of Peter walking on the water, but then losing his courage, and possibly his faith when he noticed the wind and the waves.

I don’t really have a desire to move any mountains, and I don’t think I have a need to walk on water, but I would like to have the faith of the Cannanite woman, whose daughter was helped by Jesus. I would like to have the faith of the four friends of the paralyzed person who was lowered down to Jesus through a hole in the roof. I would like to have the faith of that Centurion, whose slave was healed by Jesus.

I don’t think that I have enough faith to move mountains, but I do have some faith. In the tenth chapter of Romans, the Apostle Paul says, “So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.” I am a person who reads the Bible regularly. I also pray each day. So, I have some faith. I am always hoping for more. I am hoping for more for myself and I am hoping for more for you.

While I was at seminary many of my professors began their class periods with prayer. One of them used a very short and very simple prayer on occasion. It was, “Lord, help me to believe and forgive my unbelief.” It was a prayer asking for faith, and asking for forgiveness for not having faith. It is a prayer that we could all stand to pray on a regular basis. I will ask God to increase your faith, at the same time that I ask God to increase my faith. I would appreciate it if you would ask God to increase your faith, and please ask God to increase my faith when you do.

Lord, increase my faith. Increase the faith of everyone in my congregation. Help us all to believe, and forgive our unbelief. Amen.

May the Lord bless you and keep you each and every day of your life.

Sincerely,

Pastor Birk