More Than Words

More Than Words

Bible Blast: Read Matthew 17:14-23

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. Matthew 17:20

When I was twelve, my dad had a world-famous German shepherd named Bup. Well, Bup was famous in the dog world at least. He was one of the highest performing dogs in the American Kennel Club and the Canadian Kennel Club. As a tracking dog and obedience competitor, he had so many blue ribbons and trophies that we had a whole room dedicated to them. Bup was also a hero. Once there was a terrible flood in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and since Bup was trained to track, my dad took him there to help with the rescue efforts. Bup was a great dog.

But then Bup got sick. He had cancer, and we were so sad. The vet said he would live only a few weeks.

I decided to pray. I knew God cared about my family and even our dog, so I taped a mustard seed to a picture of Bup and asked God to help my faith be at least that big. I knew that God said that if we have faith as big as a mustard seed, we could move mountains. Do you know what? Bup’s cancer went into remission—that is, the cancer cells stopped growing. God did give us many more months with him. Those few months seemed a long time to me, and I believed God had answered my prayers. I got to tell a lot of people about faith in God by showing them my picture of Bup.

Sometimes it is hard to believe that God can do big things. It was hard for a crowd of people to believe that a boy who was possessed by a demon could be healed. Jesus told his disciples that if they only had faith the size of a mustard seed they could have healed the boy with their own prayers. Instead, he had to heal the boy.

Jesus wants you and me to have faith for the things that matter to us and to pray in faith. I hope you have at least one experience as wonderful as the time that my family and I enjoyed with Bup the Pup!

Girl Gab: Mom, pull out a mustard seed for your daughter to see just how small it is. You probably have one among the spices in your kitchen. Daughter, is there something you need faith to believe? Why not tape a mustard seed to it or to a picture of it to remind you to pray?