Dear Ones:
How much faith did the little boy have when he brought the five loaves and two fishes to the disciples, to give to others, even to a multitude? How much faith did the little servant girl have when she told Naaman’s wife that there was a prophet in Samaria that could heal him of his leprosy? Where does faith come from, and what is its essence that renders it capable of bringing about unbelievable blessing, and this from a source that is so “little?”
First of all, we need to grasp that true faith is real “substance,” and that it is given by God. It is not only an attitude of trust, but the very strength of trust. It defies logic, for its basis is not in that which the eye sees, but which the heart grasps. Its stance is upon an “invisible,” Eternal Rock, which cannot move, nor change. Its expression is in its adherence to the immutable words of God, the joyful and full response to them. The question now becomes: Who has this faith? And how can it express itself in the heart of a child? Lastly, how can it express itself in our hearts?
When the Lord called to Samuel, he was a little boy. Samuel “…did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him.” (1 Sam. 3:7) Any yet, it will be to this little child that the Lord will speak, and this, several times. Why? How is it that the Lord can trust His word to a child? Isn’t it a little dangerous to entrust faith to a child? The child Samuel will grow into a man of God, a man of faith, because of something Eli told him to say to the Lord, when the Lord would speak to him again. It was: “Speak; for Thy servant heareth.” The Lord looked into the heart of Samuel, and saw there something very precious. It was williingness to BELONG to the Lord, to BE His. Samuel’s mother had given him to God. But little Samuel, in the simplicity of his understanding, possessed the desire to know the God who had spoken to him. He would respond with great, little faith. The seed would be sown, and fill the whole tree of his life as he grew into manhood.
Faith, a personal trust in a Person, may be small, and yet great. The Author and Finisher of our faith (Christ), knows how and when to plant the seed in the heart…and it may be as a child. He then causes the water from His rain, and the warmth from His sun, to cause that seed to germinate, until it fills the heart. The wonderful thing about faith, whether small or “great,” is that its reward is the revelation of God, of Christ, to the heart. When the little boy with the five loaves and two fishes gave them to the disciples of Christ, he saw the glory of God. When Naaman’s little servant girl believed, and expressed that belief to Naaman’s wife, she too saw the glory of God. Samuel would continue to hear the word of God, and God would through him reveal His glory to Israel again. There is no substitute for the knowledge of God, indeed, this is life, TO KNOW HIM. Little faith is great faith, when the reward is the knowledge of God.
Lord Jesus, open our eyes to see Thy glory, and grant us Thy faith…however small or great. Strengthen our hearts to believe Thee for all that Thou dost desire to do through our lives, so that others will see Thy glory, and truly turn to Thee, and live. In Thy name, Amen.
Love, Dad