Wednesday, 08 July 2009

• Currently Mustard Seeds: Thoughts on the Nature of God and Faith By Lynn Coulter see related

  Faith the size of a brassica nigra

  This is, yet another, long, sermon-like post. But I hope you will read it all the way through. Or if you have to take a break and come back and finish it later, all well and good. I know many of us have short attention spans - I'M ONE OF THEM! ...now what was I talking about? Oh yeah. But I believe there is something here that everyone can walk away and gain something in the end. If you do finish reading this entire post, I greatly thank you...but my desire is that you will find something of worth for your heart and for your life. My request that you read it all is not for me...but for you. May God bless you with every word.

  Faith has been a...well, tiny subject between a particular friend of mine and me. She expressed to me the other day that, for certain reasons, she has none. As I was thinking about faith, and a particular book I am reading called "Mustard Seeds" (by Lynn Coulter), and many other factors (such as August 5th *wink*), I decided to do some research on the mustard plant and in particular, the black mustard seed (brassica nigra, hence my title of this post) variety. (Go figure, for all the vastness of the internet, just trying to find some "fast facts" about the mustard seed was becoming a bothersome task...but here is what I was able to dig up.)

  + A few theories exist about the origin of the word "mustard". One theory reasons that "mustard was called Sinapis. Some students claim that during Roman times the word Sinapis started to be replaced by words such as Mustum, Mustarum, and Mustardum as new wine, or "Must" was mixed with mustard seeds to make a paste."
  + The name, mustard, comes from the Latin words “mustum ardens”, which means “burning wine” and refers to the flavor created by the spicy heat of the crushed mustard seeds mixed with the juice of unfermented wine grapes. [source]
  + Black mustard plants grow on average to 10 feet tall, developing dried stalks which are tree-like. [source]
  + Black/white mustard seeds average between 1 to 3 mm in diameter - not the smallest seed, but the small non-cultivated seed common to Jewish agriculturists. [source]
  + Mustard seeds are wild plants, not a garden vegitable. [source]
  + Black mustard seeds need a good source of sunshine in order to grow and require no human intervention; they have also been known to sprout within a day. [source]
  + The black mustard (Brassica nigra) is generally described as an Annual Forb or herb. This Dicot (dicotyledon) is not native to the U.S. [source]
  + There has been recent research into varieties of mustards that have a high oil content for use in the production of biodiesel, a renewable liquid fuel similar to diesel fuel. The biodiesel made from mustard oil has good cold flow properties and cetane ratings. The leftover meal after pressing out the oil has also been found to be an effective pesticide. [source]
  + Mustard seeds have been used for medicinal purposes. [source]

  Jesus, as many of my readers are likely familiar with, used parables to explain deeper spiritual and life Truths to help His audiances understand what He was explaining to them. They were illustaitions with a point. And the parable of the mustard seed is more impressive, I think, when you stop to examine some of the facts of the mustard seed.

  The parable of the mustard seed is recorded in three of the Gospels:
  Matthew 13:31-32: Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches" (NLT).
  ...and...
  Mark 4:30-32: Jesus said, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade” (NLT).
  ...and...
  Luke 13:18-19: Then Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? How can I illustrate it? It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make nests in its branches” (NLT).

  Now, consider this verse, "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see" (Heb 11:1, NLT). In a world where we are surrounded by demands of proof, evidence and reproducable events (scientifically speaking), it can be very difficult to have trust in...something...someone...that we cannot even see, or hear, or touch, or smell, or taste. When it comes to believing in God, our senses are virtually useless. Why would God do that? When He calls us to believe in Him, why does He seem so distant? So inacccessable? When all we want, for many of us who are at least begging for some snippet of something "grasps-able", why does God seem to withhold clarity for His existance? How can faith in someone we haven't even experience (or if we have, our experiences can seem fleeting) make so much of a difference?

  I'll admit, I have no easy for this. And what I hope to share here probably will leave some (or many? I hope not...) still asking for answers. I am sad to say that I can only hope that what offer will aid you in seeing that God is real... While I may not be able to provide substantial proof, I do hope to offer clarity that will make your investigation easier and more understable. For even I am always searching, even though I know in my heart (and with my own personal experience) that God is, indeed, real and who He says He is through the Bible. But even my own testimony may be still lacking when it comces to offering help when all you may be wanting is just that little, elusive thing, called faith. If nothing else, it all begins with a willingness to search and to not give up. For God said that all who seek Him will find Him. But you must not quit seeking. I hope this aids you in your search.

  The disciples of Jesus' day were pretty much your average Jew. They were very familar with (Old Testiment) Scripture. It was more deeply rooted in their life and culture than fast food is a staple of American life. But just as we are today, even with all the research and historical documentation and more, they, too, often found God to be a mystery. There were many things they didn't understand. Even King David, in many of the Psalms he wrote, expressed confusion. He didn't understand why God did certains or allowed certain things to happen. God was much bigger than even the wisest man could fully comprehend. But each of these men (and the women, too...contrary to any cultural aspect, women were just as important) found Jesus to beyond normal comprehension. Their lives revolved around the physical...the "natural", as we would know it. So when when the man who proclaimed that He was God came around, even after numerous miracles, the disciples were often amazed and confounded, "The disciples were amazed. 'Who is this man?' they asked. 'Even the winds and waves obey him!'” (Matt 8:27, NLT).

  The struggle with faith often involves having to be willing to accept something goes beyond our normal boundaries of understanding and experience. Galileo was sentenced to life of in-home imprisonment for his proposal that it was the earth that revolved around the sun, and not the other way around. Such propositions were astronomically significant. While I'm not well versed about the history and culture of Galileo's day, I do know that what he discovered about our own universe would have a deep impact on how people viewed life and lived. Galileo's discovery called for faith...a willingness to accept something that went beyond what everyone else understood or comprehended. And yet we now know that he was right. Imagine if held to the belief that the world was the center of the universe..."Houstan, we have a problem," would take on a whole new meaning.

  It's also been said about faith that it is the evidence of things not seen (similar to Hebrews 11:1 that I quoted earlier). What is this thing we call evidence? Well, in layman's terms, evidence is that which points to something else. Knowing that a glass cannot move on its own, finding a broken cup on the floor would suggest that something (or someone) caused it to fall and break. We may not have all the facts about what happened, but we have faith, by the known evidence, that there was a cause that led to the glass ending up on the floor. Another way to put it is that we trust in normal cause-effect laws.

  I think a better illustraition is the one where someone stands behind you and you fall back towards them. You cannot see them. You're blindfolded and your ears are plugged. Now if this is your first time falling back towards this person, I'm sure you'd be feeling a bit apprehensive. But imagine that they do, in fact, catch you. All is well. Now suppose we set you right back up and tell you to fall back again. Well, previous experience says that they will catch you. But logic suggests that the past does not always dictate or predetermine the future. But, after all is said and done, the person catches you just as before. In time, after enough repeat catches, you can begin to develop a sense of trust. Makes sense, doesn't it? The person hasn't dropped you yet. But for each instance, even with the growing experiences and the level of trust you have also put in person that they will, indeed, catch you, you must exercise faith...

  So in this example, what is faith? Well, if faith is the evidence of things unseen, the evidence is that the person has repeatedly caught you every time you fell backwards. The unseen is that moment just before they have the opportunity to reach out and catch you...or let you drop.

  Faith can be rather scary in that light, huh? Is it any wonder why many of us have so much trouble believing in God? ...let alone people we can see. Truly, if you are one of those people, I do understand and I don't blame you for having a hard time trusting God...or even believing He exists at all.
  But a willingness to trust God - to let Him work things out in your life on His time and in His way - can and will open doors that will allow you to rest easy knowing that your faith will find you well as can be when that moment of truth - will you be caught? - comes to light.

  If you don't even take the risk - yes, it's definitely a risk - and put your trust in that person that they will catch you, then the question of faith will never be answered. That's definitely asking a lot when we only have one life to live. But if you'll accept my own testimony at all, I assure you, it is a worthwhile risk, for sure.

  Jesus asked the people to consider how much God takes care of the birds and the flowers. And then He asked them take note of the fact that we - the humans of the world - are far more important, the most important of all Creation, than the birds and flowers. "How much more will the Father in Heaven take care you!" Jesus said. Even with all the times that God took care of His people in the Old Testiment accounts, the disciples still had a hard time grasping the power of God. "The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, 'Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!' Jesus responded, 'Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!' Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm" (Matt 8: 25-26, NLT).

  Jesus was in the boat with them, as it rocked back and forth on that huge lake that not too far off from the sea that boarders the westside of Judea. The waters were certainly something daunting to behold. So it's understand, from that point of view, why they were afraid. But they were focusing on their fears, not even putting so much as a bit of trust that God was with them and would care for them. Why so little faith, Jesus asked. And He put the source of their fears to rest. They asked, Who is this man? They did not yet fully grasp God, even in a human understanding. It would take time before their faith would truly start to grow.

  Later on, in Matthew 17, the disciples were trying to cast a demon out of someone but were unsuccessful. Jesus replied when they asked them about this, "You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible" (Matt 17:20-21, NLT). I've often wondered why I seem to fail at things I attempt to do when God says I can. Even with the tiny bit of faith I feel like I have, it seems to be not enough. And as I've wondered about this, I wonder if maybe it's because I doubted. That was certainly true of Peter when he walked on the water before Jesus but later started drown when focused on the waves that were about to overtake him. Even then, Peter's faith was small. But it was his doubts - his removal of his faith in Christ's power - that caused him to slip. But whether or not doubts are truly the reason for failed attempts at something God says I can do, one thing has been made very clear by Jesus' own words: that faith the size of a mustard seed can do wonderous things. I suppose if I tried and failed to cast out demons, it may not be because of any doubts...I've never tried. I wouldn't know prior to the moment if I even could. I have to also consider my own spiritual maturity and understanding. (I certainly couldn't tackle a trigonomtry class without having at least basic algebra well understood.)

  But I'm starting to get a bit off focus.
  You see, the mustard seed is tiny. At first glance it may not seem like much anything could come from it. (And it is by far not even the smallest plant seed in existance.) But such a small plant prouduces quite a good-sized plant when fully grown. And if you recall my fast-facts at the beginning of this post, a lot can happen just after it's first planted. That moment when you first trust God and you find that He wasn't ever going to let you down, that's when you planted your seed, and the next, up pops a mustard sprout. Indeed, in good condition, a mustard plant only takes a day to begin to grow. By the end of the season, a tree-like mustard plant as high as 10 feet will before you...all from a tiny seed.

  I have often found myself discouraged because I want to be like the men and women I admire because of the faith in God and the spiritual maturity and Biblical understanding and wisdom. And almost as often I have to stop and remind myself, it took them time to become like that. It took discipline and a willingness to keep on putting their faith in God even when circumstances said it futile or unreasonable or illogical. It took time to study and investigation to find the truth in and understanding of the Bible. And while I'm sure my faith sprouted very early, I have sometimes wondered why I don't seem to be as tall as all my other fellow Christians. Well, just like the mustard seed, it doesn't take much to get it grow. But it does need a good source of sunshine. As a Christian, I need to keep on seek the Light of the world: Jesus.

  We can't even begin to trust Him unless we start doing things God's way. applying what know of His love and His laws. I'll definitely admit that God confuses at times. I don't get His ways. They're so different from the way I live life in general in this world. But I can safely say that when I keep on applying God's ways in my everyday life, they more they start to make sense. It takes time. Just like that mustard seed (of faith). And God is so good at nurturing us.

  You see, the black mustard, in particular, is not a "tame" plant. It doesn't require cultivation in a garden. It doesn't require regular care and tending to. It's a wild plant. But even then, out there in the desert, where many mustard plants are found, God cares for them. And they grow tall and strong, able to support birds even for their nesting or at least provide good shade (which in the desert is a BIG deal!).

  So in you, God will take care of your faith. He will provide ways to help it grow. But unlike the mustard seed, which is nothing more than a plant, you must be willing to accept God's care so that your faith may grow after all. Living life God's way - particularly as a Christian - is one of a relationship. And no relationship survives when one person alone is doing the work. Each person must provide something.

  Another thing stuck out to me as I was looking up the facts about the mustard plant. Namely that it is not a native plant to the USA. It was brought over from overseas centuries ago. Faith in something that we cannot see is foreign to us. Because we turned away from God as far back as the Garden of Eden, being able to see God or hear Him or feel His presence (all things I deeply long for, as does my friend who confessed a deep longing to hear God's voice despite her struggles to even have faith in Him) has become alien-like. A concept as far from rational thought as Pluto is from Earth. We must be willing to accept faith when it is presented to us. When the evidence is found, we must trust that it leads to the source of that which provided the evidence. There will be people who will try to mislead you. Sadly, many Christians and non-Christians have fallen pray to such people...people who have a serious hatred for all things God-related. God and Jesus, throughout the whole Bible, often warn to be careful about those who would mislead us, saying they come in the name of God, but do nothing that is of God. (And that's not to say that everyone who claims to be of God is there will ill intent. It just means, be careful. All the more reason to carefully search out the evidence that is there.) Like my example about the broken glass earlier. If the suspect was a child who said the cat did it, but we know that the cat has been outside all day...well, we can easily determine that the cat is not guilty. The checking for fingerprints on the cup might ultimately lead to proving the child is the one responsible. It's just a simple matter of examining the evidence. The truth is there. It just has to be searched out. And if you want to find out that God is real after all, you only need to have faith that the evidence will lead you to the truth. (Because truth can't be anything other than what it really is. So if God is real, then you'll find Him.)

  Faith is not an easy thing to rely for many of us. Pain, disappointment, confusion, and many other things can get in the way. I've been a Christian since I was 5 years old. At the time of this post, I have been one of God's sons for over 20 years....almost 25. And even after a quarter-century as a Jesus Freak, I still find myself from time to time plagued with things attack my faith, that make me question God's reality. While I love fantasy stories, such Narnia especially, I want what is real. I don't want to go chasing pipe dreams. And the laws of God according to Christian Scripture certainly doesn't always make for a "happy time". But I have found worth in the ways of God. More than a "what works for me" deal (because most of Christianity, if I had MY way, is not something "works for me". But Christianity does work. And my faith, as often as it has been tested, and as often as I have struggled to trust that God is real and that He cares and that He loves me no matter what...my faith has been rewarded with clear proof that it was not in vain. I can only say that if we want reproducable evidence that God is real, then we must take it on a invidual test. For God works with us on a one-on-one basis. You must be willing to believe in Him, even if all you have is just enough faith to believe that He might possibly be real. God can and does work that tiny, mustard-seed-like faith.

  The mustard seed is a tiny, supposedly useless little speck. But given time and care, it will grow to produce a sturdy tree-like plant. And the uses of even the mustard seed, itself, are many. Let God use you, no matter how small your faith. Even if your faith is weak and you have trouble believing, remember that God uses the weak and the poor and the failures (according to the world, at least) to do powerful, worthy, and successful things beyond the scope of anything we could imagine. If faith as tiny as a mustard seed (or smaller!) can move mountains, then that's some pretty amazing faith you've got there.

  ...now I wonder what God would say about relish... I'm a big fan of relish.

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