Ramble for Townsville Central City Mission Connections newsletter 5 October 2025

 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” (Luke 17:5)

The trouble with writing for Connections (or Kirwan Uniting’s Keeping in Touch, this is a syndicated article this week 😊 ) on the topic on which I’ll be preaching, is that it sort of gives the game away, so you can go to sleep during the sermon on Sunday. If you do, you’ll miss the introductory jokes.


When I were a lad, much harm was done to folk going through trials, perhaps a worrying medical diagnosis, or a financial or relationship crisis, by other Christians telling them that they didn’t have enough faith in God for God to be able to work a miracle. Doesn’t say much for God. Many people, me included, still fret that we don’t have enough faith. But we’re missing the point. The faith is God’s in us, not ours in God. St Paul hits the nail on the head in his epistle which accompanies Sunday’s lectionary Gospel, 2 Timothy 1. “ … I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.” We’re saved, St Paul writes elsewhere, by grace, through faith, not from ourselves, it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2).


God has plenty enough faith in you because of Jesus to make up for any shortfall in your faith in Him. So relax. Just don’t go to sleep during the sermon.


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