Down the Mountain

Moses had come down the mountain to find his people given over to idol worship and lasciviousness. Jesus came down the mountain to find his disciples unable to cast out a demon. He said, "Oh unbelieving and perverse generation...how long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me" (Matthew 17:17). The disciples were curious as to why they couldn't cast it out. Jesus told them it was because they had little faith. He said, "I tell you the truth, 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). It sounds like the disciples faith was pretty small since Jesus said that all they needed was mustard seed faith, and they did not even have that. I think I'm with the disciples. I think of Jesus in general terms. But sometimes my abstract idea of him decreases my ability to see that he has power "to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" (Ephesians 3:20).