Unbelief

"And He did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief."  Matthew 13:58


I've read that verse a hundred times. I always "understood" it in its context-Jesus not being accepted in His hometown. But as I read it again a few mornings ago, it dawned on me that this verse is for me. I have sensed the Holy Spirit saying to me, "You're holding back God's mighty works with your unbelief." Don't get me wrong; I pray about things and I believe in the power of God. But do I believe God will do mighty works in my life? In my family's life? In the church? In the world? Do I have the faith that God requires in order for His works to be unleashed? Do I really believe that He is "able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, according to the power at work within us"? (Ephesians 3:20)
What is the power at work within us? James tells us that "The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." (James 5:16) The context of that statement is faith. God will hear, comfort, heal, raise up, forgive, when we pray in faith. Elijah prayed for a drought and God did a mighty work and stopped the rain. After the three and a half year drought, Elijah prayed for rain, and God did a mighty work and sent rain. "Elijah was a man with a nature like ours", it says in James 5:17, but he prayed fervently, and he was a man of great faith. We often pray fervently, but do we have great faith? Do we truly believe that God will do the mighty act for which we are praying?
Mark's account of Jesus' rejection in His hometown contains these verses: "And He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief." (Mark 6:5-6)

How long has God been waiting to do mighty works, but we've held Him back with our unbelief?
Jesus told the man who asked for healing for his sick boy, "All things are possible for one who believes."(Mark 9:23)

My prayer these days is the same as that man's in verse 24: "I believe; help my unbelief!"

The Countdown

My daughter is going to college in six days. I had a "moment" this morning. While making plans for next week, it occurred to me that none of those plans will include her, and the thought brought me to tears. I recovered fairly quickly, but I am expecting to have several more "moments" over the next few weeks.
What a strange season of life. I'm thinking back to when I left home for college, and I wonder if my Mom had the same feelings about me leaving as I'm having now. And I'm thinking about how the last thing on my mind when I was 18 was how my Mother was feeling about my leaving home.  I suppose that's a good thing. My daughter has enough to worry about; leaving her home and family, moving into a new place with strangers, beginning college classes, striking out "on her own". She doesn't need to be worrying about her mother! But I do hope she misses me a little.

Is that too much to ask?