FAITH AS A SEED by Marshall M. Smith

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 30, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 38.

FAITH AS A SEED.

By Marshall M. Smith

WHEN certain of Jesus' disciples had failed to cure a child that was a lunatic, they came to him and asked him:—

"Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief; for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove." Matt. 17 : 19, 20.

Few persons in reading this language ever think of the deep meaning that lies in the ten words, "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed." They read it and pass it by with the single thought, Well, if one can not have as little faith as that, measuring their faith by so small a seed, how can we ever hope to have enough to meet the Saviour when he comes, and we no longer wonder at his question, "Shall he find faith on the earth?" Luke 18 : 8.

Paul says in Heb. 11 : 1 that faith is the "evidence of things not seen." And so it was this unseen faith that Jesus alluded to in the seed, hid within the seed itself, a power from his hand that made it grow into a tree in which the fowls of the air could lodge, a power effectually working within it, as the Word of God effectually works within those that believe. 1 Thess. 2 : 13.

And as the Christian does not believe the Word as coming from man, but goes far beyond and sees the truth as the Word of God, so, under the same power, the little seed finds its way through the dark ground into the light of day, even as a Christian's faith carries him through the dark paths of life, and leads him into the marvelous light of God's liberty and love.

MARSHALL M. SMITH