Scripture: Mark 11:12-25 (CEB)
12 The next day, after leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 From far away, he noticed a fig tree in leaf, so he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing except leaves, since it wasn’t the season for figs. 14 So he said to it, “No one will ever again eat your fruit!” His disciples heard this.
15 They came into Jerusalem. After entering the temple, he threw out those who were selling and buying there. He pushed over the tables used for currency exchange and the chairs of those who sold doves. 16 He didn’t allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17 He taught them, “Hasn’t it been written, My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations?[b] But you’ve turned it into a hideout for crooks.”[c] 18 The chief priests and legal experts heard this and tried to find a way to destroy him. They regarded him as dangerous because the whole crowd was enthralled at his teaching. 19 When it was evening, Jesus and his disciples went outside the city.
Power, prayer, and forgiveness
20 Early in the morning, as Jesus and his disciples were walking along, they saw the fig tree withered from the root up. 21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look how the fig tree you cursed has dried up.”
22 Jesus responded to them, “Have faith in God! 23 I assure you that whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea’—and doesn’t waver but believes that what is said will really happen—it will happen. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you will receive it, and it will be so for you. 25 And whenever you stand up to pray, if you have something against anyone, forgive so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your wrongdoings.”
What does this passage mean to me/us?
Contributed by Kelly Silva
Mark 11:24 “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believed you have received it, and it will be yours.”
This passage made me think of myself. I have thought of the times I have not let Christ enter my life. I have remembered the times I was too scared to have faith and trust Him. We all have times when we feel like we can’t have faith in Christ. We may think our prayers won’t be answered. God hears our prayers. God answers us. We need to be willing to talk to Him and listen to His reply so we don’t lose sight of the way He wants us to live.
In Mark 11:12-14, Jesus sees a fig tree with leaves. Believing the tree would be bearing fruit, He went to it. When He walked closer to the tree, He noticed it was not bearing any fruit. He then cursed the tree saying, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” The tree was saying, “I have fruit” by having leaves. However, when Jesus got closer, He noticed the tree had “lied” to Him, for any tree with leaves should be bearing fruit. This is teaching us that God wants all of us. He doesn’t just want our leaves. He wants our leaves and our fruit. If we bear no fruit, we are not fully living for Christ. We would be skimming the surface saying we live for God when really we want to be able to get by with only our leaves.
After this, Jesus arrived at the temple and began driving out those who were buying and selling. The temple was not a place for profiting. It was a place for prayer and worship. The next day, Jesus and the disciples walked by the fig tree again, which had withered away. Jesus explained to Peter and the rest of the disciples that He said only a prayer and it was answered. He told them that if they prayed and believed they would have the things they prayed for, they would have them. It is all about having faith in Christ.
Prayer
Lord God, sometimes we may not believe in the things we pray for. We may not have honest faith in You. At times, we may only give You what we think You may want to see, and not what You need to see. Help us and live in us so we may live through others in a fruitful way. We love You and we want to live the way You taught us. Sometimes it isn’t easy. We may feel like we aren’t worthy of Your love. But if we keep faith in You, we will learn the way. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen
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