Mr. Fredricksen, the man from Up, he had faith in something small. So much faith he tied his life and home to it.
Our speaker talked about the size of a balloon and I noticed something. There were lots of balloons. It must have took him a long time to inflate those balloons and tie each one to his house. Maybe even days of stretching... inflating... tying on strings. Each act a seed of faith that eventually took him up, up, up!
Do you see it? this epiphany I'm having right here in the moments following worship? Walking by faith may be some huge mountain moving experience, but my walk has been a lot more like Mr. Fredricksen's balloon faith.
Life stretches and pulls at me from so many directions. Honestly I don't like it too much... all this stretching. Who needs it right? God gently pulls and stretches just like we do balloons and I'm wondering why? Could it be it allows for more filling? Could this stretching give more room for Holy Spirit to move and fill and have His way in me... in you? Does it keep us from exploding because we're just not ready.
I believe when we ask for more faith, God is faithful to give it. We ask... He stretches... and fills. One day we look up and realize each tiny step of faith has become an enormous bouquet moving us closer to Him.
The "prayer zone" filled with kids tonight. All instructed to pray for one thing. "Pray for faith," she said. I'll pass the challenge on to you as the day draws to a close and one by one the lights turn off. Pray for faith... endure the stretching... be filled with more of Him.
Jesus, thank you. Thank you for always saying yes to my asking for more faith. For every camper who prayed for faith this evening Lord... give them an abundance. May they be stretched and filled. May their faith grow. Make them mountain movers Jesus. And for those who are sharing this journey through these words, pour your Spirit into their lives too. Reveal your will... teach them your way. In Jesus name, amen.
