How to Limit God’s Power
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “And he marveled because of their unbelief.” Mark 6:6 ESV
Mark is a fast paced description of the ministry of Jesus. People are healed, the dead are raised, blind eyes opened, the lame walk, sins are forgiven.
We understand that God is all powerful and that there is nothing that God can not do. However, God works in the lives of individuals not on a basis of arbitrary action, but in response to faith.
“Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.” (Mark 11:22,23 ESV)
However, when Jesus came to his own home town, He was met with cynicism and unbelief.
They questioned his credentials, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? (Mark 6:2-3 ESV)
They were amazed at His words, but not convinced of His nature. As a result a degree of skepticism emerged and the result was a limitation on the miracles Jesus performed, “And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them.” (Mark 6:5 ESV)
This is far different from what we read on another occasion in Matthew 15:30 (NIV) “Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them.”
We then read an interesting observation, “And he marveled because of their unbelief.” There were those who marveled at Jesus words and the miracles He performed. But now we see Jesus displaying a sense of shock or being confounded over what was taking place.
When we have faith, it releases the power of God to work on our behalf and allows us to stand in awe of the results. Doubt and unbelief limits the flow of His power in and through our lives. Often the limitation is not the Lord’s willingness, but our faith that limits God’s power.
Prayer for today… Lord, never let our familiarity with You to keep us from faith and belief that what You have done for others, You will do for us. May we trust You and have confidence in Your response to simple faith.