The Upper Room Daily Devotional in Nashville Tennessee United States for Friday, 15 June 2018 "Cactus Seed Faith" by Doug Wingert (Arizona) TODAY'S READING Mark 4:26-33

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The Upper Room Daily Devotional in Nashville Tennessee United States for Friday, 15 June 2018 "Cactus Seed Faith" by Doug Wingert (Arizona) TODAY'S READING Mark 4:26-33

Jesus said, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20 (NIV))
I’ve lived in the desert southwest of the United States for many years, but it wasn’t until I recently retired that I had time to truly appreciate the plants and animals of the Sonoran Desert. This desert, which encompasses parts of northern Mexico and southern Arizona, has abundant vegetation; the most notable is the saguaro cactus, (pronounced “sa-whar-o”). The saguaro cactus can live for 150 to 200 years, achieve a height of up to 60 feet, and can weigh as much as 4,800 pounds! But this giant plant starts out as a small black seed not much bigger than a comma on this page — possibly even smaller than a mustard seed.
In today’s verse, Jesus tells his disciples that if they would have faith, even faith as small as a mustard seed, nothing would be impossible for them. Such is the power of our faith in God.
Does having faith mean not having doubts? Does it mean that as a Christian I must have complete understanding of God’s word? I think not. I must remember that I can accomplish much good, even with “saguaro seed” faith.
TODAY'S PRAYER: Dear God, give us faith to continue our walk with you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
TODAY'S READING: Mark 4:26 And he said, “The Kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground. 27 Nights he sleeps, days he’s awake; and meanwhile the seeds sprout and grow — how, he doesn’t know. 28 By itself the soil produces a crop — first the stalk, then the head, and finally the full grain in the head. 29 But as soon as the crop is ready, the man comes with his sickle, because it’s harvest-time.”
30 Yeshua also said, “With what can we compare the Kingdom of God? What illustration should we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which, when planted, is the smallest of all the seeds in the field; 32 but after it has been planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all the plants, with such big branches that the birds flying about can build nests in its shade.”
33 With many parables like these he spoke the message to them, to the extent that they were capable of hearing it. (Complete Jewish Bible).
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Through my acts of faith God can accomplish much.
PRAYER FOCUS; Environmentalists
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