Dec 3 2019 Matthew 21: 12-22

Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, “Be lifted up and thrown into the sea”. Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, it will be done.  


Jesus has just gone into the Temple and driven out the money changers. After that, he leaves the city and in the morning when he returns he’s hungry. I must admit that hearing that Jesus is hungry makes me appreciate that he was truly human. I can imagine that angels don’t get hungry. During this season of Advent, preparing for Jesus’ birth, I am increasingly aware of my appreciation for God-made-man, in all man’s humanness.

So hungry Jesus sees a fig tree but it has no figs. Hungry Jesus then smites the tree, making it whither on the spot. His disciples are amazed, asking Jesus how he did that. He responds that with faith and no doubt, they can do not only that, but make mountains jump into the sea.

Hmmph. How hard it is to read this, and not immediately doubt! It reminds me of when kids say, “don’t think of a pink elephant”. Upon hearing that sentence, it’s hard not to immediately conjure a pink elephant in your head, right? If you have faith and don’t doubt, you can make this mountain jump into the sea. Given the example Jesus gives, that I’m able to make a mountain be thrown into a sea, I doubt. Jesus could have given an example that was less extreme, like move this fork across the table. Or something that was in my power to practice. Jump over a pole 10’ in the air. But the example given is something that’s so far out of my understanding of what’s possible, even with prayer, that it’s hard to read the sentence without immediately doubting.

He then follows up with the summary statement that whatever is asked for in prayer and faith will be done. Again, it is hard to hear that without some sense of doubt, or caveat, or conditions. Whatever I ask for? World peace. Deeper faith for the people I love. Kids moving closer to me. More time. Better handwriting. More daylight in the winter. Healing for my loved one. This could turn in to my grown up list for Santa. Whatever I ask for?

But then we’re back to the first part of what Jesus says. Have faith and do not doubt. Don’t think of that pink elephant, and whatever you pray for, you’ll receive.

On my cynical days, this section feels like nothing more than a cosmic prank. Don’t doubt that I can do the impossible, and then whatever I ask for with faith is done.

On my less cynical days, I understand that I personally cannot make a mountain be thrown into the sea, but God can. If I believe that upon my command, God can make a mountain leap into the sea, maybe that’s the unmitigated faith that’s being spoken of. Of course I think that God can make a mountain be thrown into the sea; God made the mountains and the seas, and God can do with them what God wants, and does!

But I do struggle with the notion that upon my command, trees will wither, and mountains will be thrown into the sea. Maybe that means that whatever I ask for in prayer is not guaranteed, as it sounds like Jesus is alleging. 

This morning, I’m thinking about pink elephants and whatever I ask for in prayer. I’m wondering why there are wars and disease and famines and accidents. People with greater faith and fewer doubts are praying for these things. Everyone who’s lost a child to a terminal disease has prayed for its reversal. Every family affected by the illness in my family has prayed for its reversal, or obliteration from the earth.

I’m not sure what to do with this – whatever you ask for in prayer and faith – except continue to strive towards the part, ‘and do not doubt’. I do not doubt that God can move mountains. I remain skeptical that I can. And so I pray.