Can God's Heart be Moved?

As I was reflecting on John 2 I was struck by the section of Scripture where Jesus tells His earthly mother that it is not His time and yet His mother presses Him and He responds.  We know from the life of Jesus and what He says that He only says what He hears the Father say and only does what He sees the Father do.  Since He was in continual communion with the Father, the Father must have responded to Mary's faith and decided to do a miracle.  We so often paint a picture of God's faithfulness over thousands of years, many generations, and to His covenants.  This is good and right, yet what do we do with a passage of Scripture that seems to point to the fact that God changed His Mind or heart.  As I wrestled with God to understand this, one thing I see is that the Lord was moved by Mary's faith.  We see this through Luke 18:8 "I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"  God is drawn by faith, Hebrews 11:6 tells us "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. "  As I wonder aloud with God about His heart being moved by faith, I see how much more He values trusting Him and relying on Him than I do.  Obviously, God is omnipotent and knew that Mary would ask so it was not a surprise.  We also know that Mary was a woman who had faith because she believed the promise through the angel Gabriel that she would give birth to the Son of God and she received the promise believing it all the way to His birth.  Also she was most favored of all women by God.  Reflecting on this I think of another woman of faith, the woman who had the issue of blood.  This woman pressed her way through crowds, risking public humiliation, and touched the Hem of His garment (the part representing the promise of healing under the Old Covenant).  Jesus commented about her  "Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well." At once the woman was made well." (Matthew 9:22)  When people seek God in faith, He is moved to action.  While I don't believe we can manipulate God because He is quite secure in His identity, it is amazing to see that faith touches the very heart of God.  We live in such a culture of unbelief (in God's promises) that has invaded the Christian world.  May the Holy Spirit stir faith deep inside of you, to believe God is good and faithful to His promise.

Learning Abba's Ways,
Bret