As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” When He had gone indoors, the blind men came to Him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they replied. Then He touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; and their sight was restored. Matthew 9:27-30a
“Faith needs a life of prayer for its full growth. In all the different parts of the spiritual life, there is such close union, such unceasing action and reaction, that each may be both cause and effect. Thus it is with faith. There can be no true prayer without faith; some measure of faith must precede prayer. And yet prayer is also the way to more faith; there can be no higher degrees of faith except through much prayer. This is the lesson Jesus teaches here. There is nothing needs so much to grow as our faith…
When Jesus spoke the words, ‘According to your faith be it unto you’ [Matthew 9:29], He announced the law of the kingdom, which tells us that all have not equal degrees of faith, that the same person has not always the same degree, and that the measure of faith must always determine the measure of power and of blessing. If we want to know where and how our faith is to grow, the Master points us to the throne of God. It is in prayer, in the exercise of the faith I have, in fellowship with the living God, that faith can increase. Faith can only live by feeding on what is divine, on God Himself.”
Andrew Murray (1828-1917) in With Christ in the School of Prayer (Fleming H. Revell: New York) 67.
It’s fitting to read Murray as he was a famous South African Christian writer, pastor, and teacher, and God has me ministering in Johannesburg this week (as pictured above). Today I want to explain briefly what I think Jesus aims at in today’s Scripture cited by Murray and show how it relates to generosity.
Let’s begin with the prayer of the blind men: “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”
Jesus works in the lives of people who realize that they can’t navigate life on their own. They are blind. They come to Him blind and go away with sight. Others come to Him empty and go away filled. Miracles happens because the seeker believes Jesus can do the impossible. They believe and demonstrate that belief by coming to him. What humility coupled with courage!
Notice the response of Jesus: “According to your faith let it be done to you.”
Jesus responds to people who come to Him with humility and courage. They go no other place to find help, hope, and life. Wherever we run in times of need shows where we place our trust. Whatever we depend on in times of trouble reveals where we have fixed our hope. Sadly, for many in modernity, if they consider this idea honestly, they would say rely on money stored up for themselves as their source of help.
Read now Murray’s statement: “There is nothing needs so much to grow as our faith.”
My teaching and facilitation with nearly 90 men and women from over 40 countries is going well so far. My prayer is “full growth” for their faith as well as yours and mine. How do we move that direction as we wrap up the second week of Lent with our focus on prayer coupled with faith? We must live like we believe this “law of the kingdom” (as Murray describes it), that power and blessing only come through abandonment and dependence on God.
If this hard for you, make Mark 9:24 your Lenten centering prayer: “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”