“Whoah!  If you blow that balloon up any bigger it will burst!”

Do you remember being given the job of blowing up the balloons for parties and other celebrations?  One of my enduring memories is of developing the risk-taking and decision-making skills required to make the most of the rare bag of balloons bought to add to the decorations at home.  But how can a 5 year old possibly know how big this thing can go without bursting?  Why are there no instructions to tell me what size represents the limits imposed by the manufacturer?  It doesn’t help that these are assorted sizes, shapes and colours.  I eventually blow up one balloon to the intended size without the thing exploding at the end of my nose, but the experience is useless when the next one out of the bag is a curly twisty blue one.  The blue ones always burst more easily – at least I’ve learnt something.

One day my brother brought some weather balloons home; huge red giants with super thick skins.  Inflating these mammoths was a real mission, needing countless breaths and a break or two to avoid the embarrassment of a red face or even passing out.  I don’t remember being able to burst one – not that I wanted to – they were designed to be filled with helium and to withstand the internal pressures of high altitudes as they soared through the clouds gathering data.  These were working balloons made for a serious purpose, not just for show.

You can get more air in a bigger balloon.

God has the same problem with balloons

We had a cylinder of pressurised oxygen at school one day.  Despite our pleas we weren’t allowed to get our eager mitts onto the control valve, the teacher having all the fun inflating the balloons we brought him before struggling to tie a knot in the neck (of our balloon).  His skill of judging the exact amount of gas to use was impressive, but even he couldn’t make the balloons bigger than the size we gave him.  So what?  All the balloons were the same size anyway.

Except that I had a vision of that huge weather balloon all those years ago.  I had seen how big balloons could become, a flat red shape with the potential to contain a hundred or more times the amount of air in a normal party balloon.

So how big is the faith balloon you give to God to fill with His power?

Ever notice how often Jesus asked people what they wanted?  Faith is the space we create for God to fill, then He answers in the same measure.  God is able to do way more than we could ever ask or imagine; a balloon the size of the moon wouldn’t faze him one bit.  Recognising who He was, the two blind men received an answer as big as the faith they brought to Jesus:

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 will it be done to you.”  (Matthew 9:27-29)

I wonder how much faith grew because of their recognition of who Jesus was; how worship expanded their vision?  They saw a bigger possibility when they saw a greater God.

God Expands Our Vision

A fascinating example of how God develops our faith is when Abram talks about having no heir in Genesis 15:4-6:

Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir.”  He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.”  Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

God promises Abram a son, and then takes him outside to look up at the stars.  Imagine the experience!  Can you feel the arm of God around the shoulders, the cool night air, the immensity of the vista high above?  This is no cursory glance – “Count the stars.  Can you count them, Abram?  Hey, you missed one.  No, that’s not just black space, look again!  Yes, there they are – another whole galaxy!  Oh, sorry Abram, did you lose count?  No worries, start again over here…”

It is only after He has expanded Abram’s vision, expanded his faith, that God says, “So shall your offspring be.”

Abram believed God, and his enlarged faith created the space for God to fulfill what was promised.

What starry vision is God inviting you to see today?  What weather-balloon-sized faith could you bring Him?  How could worship grow your faith in the One you fix your eyes on?

Could you add a comment about your intentions so I can hold you accountable?  Oh, go on…

 

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.