Prayer: Lord as we ponder your words open our hearts that we may understand and know you. Amen 

Sermon    

Take a moment to think of how many decisions you make in a day. How did you learn to make decisions? How do you make a decision?  Are they logical choice, is it an emotional choice or both? Do you make a decision on how others may feel,  Is your decision to made  to please someone, to avoid conflict. Decisions take commitment an acceptance of the outcome.  Decisions come with confidence but also we great doubt. 

Decisions take a lot of balancing. Finding that place that center.  Balance.   We often sell our faith short and look for other things to shore it up other than God. Like belongings or wealth. This is not a conscious decision it just kind of happens.  

The disciples are always in some kind of faith crisis and today is no different.   They are feeling inadequate and so they decide to go to Jesus and say “give us more faith.”    Increase or faith which literally means add faith to us.   

Jesus replies by telling the disciples they do not need more faith. They simply need some faith. They simply need to decide that they have faith.  There is no “more” or “less” of faith there is just faith. Genuine faith the size of a mustard seed allows God to work in our lives in ways that conquer and defy our ordinary experience. 

 One of Scarlett’s past times is getting excited about squirrels, There are a couple plump ones that like to sit on the railing of the deck and my poor puppy is practically  red in the face barking. I can take her to the back door and she come out of it like a gray hound, tears across the lawn taking great joy in treeing the Squirrel. Then comes back rather proud. 

   This time of year it’s like driving an obstacle course to miss the scurrying little rodents.  You may remember that fateful day many years ago the most unfortunate run in (over)  I had with the Squirrel The squirrel was half way across the road In the center of the road the little rodent hesitated and ran back and well there was one more squirrel in heaven that night. 

If it had continued forward it would have been happily counting its acorns instead But well he doubted and lost faith and looked back. 

Contrast that against the squirrel who I watched in the crab apple tree the other day. (love the new windows) That one apple was just the apple to have it seemed further and further out onto the bending branch. Tail twitching back and forth the determined gleam in its eye, the branch listing at a rather steep angle.   Absolute faith in branch and its own balancing ability.

It’s not the quantity of faith that matters, but its presence and authenticity. This is a comfort to those who feel their faith is weak. God is able to work through our smallest acts of trust. When facing challenges—whether it’s struggling in relationships, dealing with illness, or facing worries about the future—we can remember that God honours even the smallest expressions of faith.

We often sell our faith short. We start out and then when the going seems harsh we hesitate and second guess and then look back and run and well we fall.  We falter when we make the decision doubt our faith. 

We look for more, never realizing that we have all that we need we just have to trust in the Lord and keep our eyes on the other side of the road not to look back but to move forward. 

In all aspects of our life faith is a key element. 

Faith does not mean that everything will be changed and fine and fixed. It won’t make the pain of life go away. It may not change the course that you are set to run.  But it does provide you with the fortitude not to look back put to move forward

Faith is not easy. It is far too easy to make the decision to quit or give up. We become defeated and take on a defeated attitude.  The discipleship that accompanies faith is not easy, either. It is easier to accept the Christian label than it is to live the Christian lifestyle. 

How do we live out this faith ? First, we can ask God to help us notice the small moments where faith can be exercised—praying for someone in need, offering forgiveness, or volunteering our time. Second, we remember that our service is not for recognition, but as a natural response to God’s love for us.

Let us be encouraged: if your faith feels small, don’t be discouraged. Trust that God can use your small seed to do great things.  

  We are all recipients of costly grace. Abundant life, and fabulous feast where even the tiniest bit of bread and wine are enough to satisfy. 

Here before us is that wonderful gift of God  set out for all to receive and take part in.  Here before us lies all the grace we will need to nourish our faith.

  Faith is the belief in God as an active presence in our lives.  Faith extends beyond just God, it extends to ourselves. Faith in ourselves. To believe in yourself your gifts, abilities, in who you are.  Not to second guess ourselves.   Trust me, this is so much harder than it sounds.  Even the most confident person may be riddled with self-doubt.