Matthew 17:14-23 (NRSV)
Read Matthew 17:14-23 on biblegateway.com
Verse 14When they came to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him, Verse 15and said, "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; he often falls into the fire and often into the water. Verse 16And I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him." Verse 17Jesus answered, "You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me." Verse 18And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly. Verse 19Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" Verse 20He 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."
Verse 22As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands, Verse 23and they will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised." And they were greatly distressed.
Devotion
The disciples couldn’t cure the epileptic. But when Jesus spoke the boy was cured instantly. “Why couldn’t we heal the boy?” the disciples ask Jesus. “Because of your little faith.” Jesus goes on: “All you need is faith the size of a mustard seed and you will move mountains. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Is this true? Is it mere wishful thinking—the snake oil sold by self-help gurus? Perhaps, if we clung more tightly to Jesus’ promise, the self-help gurus wouldn’t be as wealthy. His promise could not be stated more obviously.
Prayer
Jesus, forgive our unbelief. Turn our suspicion and fear into mustard seeds that move mountains.