How Big Is Your God?

One morning, at an orphanage in England, children sat down for their breakfast, except there was no food on their plates.

There was no food on the table or in the kitchen. The children bowed their heads and a man began to pray, “Dear Father, we thank you for what you are going to give us to eat.”

It wasn’t long after this prayer that breakfast was indeed provided to these children through a baker who couldn’t sleep that night and baked a bunch of bread for them and a milkman whose cart broke down close to the orphanage and donated his milk to the children.

This man whose faith was so bold was George Mueller, a German living in England and whom God saved out of a very rebellious lifestyle. His life was characterized by a radical faith, and a strong trust that God would provide.

I want this kind of faith!

To be honest, I would have been in a sheer panic if I had been there that day. I know this because I stress and worry about much smaller things, like all the stuff on my to-do list, bills that are more than I anticipated, illnesses that run through the family, running late, not sleeping well, and many other things.

It’s embarrassing, really, how little faith I have that God will take care of me and I am pretty sure I am not the only one who struggles with this.

We belong to a God who has paid for all our sins through his son, Jesus Christ. He has promised that our soul is safe in him and that all things will be used for the good of those who belong to him.

How can we grow in faith, resting on these promises, and continually entrust our souls to our God?

A simple answer is found in one word–abide.

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:5

Abiding in Christ.

In John 15 Jesus explains that he is the vine and we are the branches. In order for us to be healthy and fruitful we must be closely connected to the perfect vine.

Jesus says that “apart from me you can do nothing,” but we know that “through Christ we can do everything” (Phil 4:13) and this especially includes living by faith. The more we know Christ, the more his word dwells in us, the more we rest in the truths that we learn, the stronger our faith will be.

You see, abiding in Christ is simply living by faith. We stay close to Jesus, trusting him for salvation, life, and everything we need, knowing that he is sovereign, good, and present.

No Request Too Big Or Too Small

But how do we entrust ourselves? How do we stay near by faith? The call to believe is essentially what we are called to, but faith is best exercised and strengthened through prayer.

Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?
Jer. 32:27

There is a reason why we are told to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17).  If apart from Christ we can do nothing, then we need to go to Christ for any and everything.

There is no request too big or small for our God.

First of all, he is all powerful and nothing is too hard for him.

Secondly, he is a God who cares and loves and therefore nothing is too small for us to discuss with him.

We may not be put in a situation where we need to pray for food for a house full of orphans, but we each have our own needs that we must trust God for.

How big is your God and how well do you know him?  Are you resting in his promises and soaking in his word? Are you trusting him in prayer? This is where faith will grow and stress, worry and fear will diminish.

The Lord is my strength and my shield;
in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
Psalm 28:7a

Blessings,
Jen