March 04

Friday, March 4

Mark 11: 20-25: Lessons from a Fig Tree

A fig tree that didn’t bear any fruit bothered Jesus and created a
teachable moment. To cause a tree to wither by merely speaking the
word was a marvel, one that the disciples probably thought was limited
to Christ Himself. Jesus said otherwise, “Have faith in God.” James
will later teach us the prayers of a righteous man are powerful and
effective (James 5). Jesus says mountain moving is possible for those
with faith. In just a few sentences, Mark connects fruit, faith, and
forgiveness to the power of following Christ. It’s interesting that as
Jesus teaches to pray in faith that can move mountains, He zeros in on
one specific mountain: forgiveness.

Whether it be the shame we carry ourselves or an unwillingness to
forgive others, unforgiveness can be a massive mountain. When we
consider what Jesus has already done, we realize we have full access to
His power to forgive, or to move any mountain He leads us toward.
What is Jesus stirring in your heart today regarding forgivingness? How
is He moving you to walk by faith?

What could God do in you if you were to take that step of faith you’ve
been considering? Make time today to write down your thoughts, then
check back in next week to gauge your progress and His gracious work.