What can you do?

We all have those moments when Jesus doesn't 'give us what we want', don't we? The people following Jesus this day were intent on him showing them a miraculous sign of some sort. While they didn't stipulate the exact sign, they wanted one as 'grand' as the manna that came down from heaven in the wilderness and they are so bold as to say so. Jesus told them if they wanted to perform 'God's works', then they would believe in him. Their response - show us something 'more grandiose' and 'amazing'. Gotta ask, but what is more amazing than the God of the Universe standing right there in your midst?

They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?” Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? (John 6:28-29)

If you want us to believe in you, show us what you can do! Heartbreaking words to the ears of our Savior, I am sure, but he is gracious and goes on to tell them that he is the bread of life, even better than the manna that fell from the skies in the wilderness. “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me. However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.” (vs. 35-40)

You have seen, but you have yet to believe. Isn't that a bit like each of us sometimes? We have seen God work in our lives numerous times, but when the evidence is right there before us, we actually miss what he is doing or has done. Seeing isn't always believing, is it? If we come to Jesus with an open heart - even a questioning and seeking heart - he will not reject us. We might not even be all that 'sure' about him, but if we just come, he will do the rest. The truth is we don't need another 'sign' or 'wonder' - we just need to believe he is the one he says he is, that he will do what he promises, and then trust him to welcome us with open arms.

Too many are seeking a 'performance' - God isn't always going to be evident in what he is doing. He asks us to believe - to have a conviction of heart and mind that trusts. Take him at his word - for his actions follow. Just sayin!

Out of words

Have you ever found yourself at a total loss for words? Something or someone just left you speechless - finding nothing you could say that would lend to the moment? It isn't often that I find myself in that spot, but when I do, it kind of makes me take 'double-notice' of whatever it is that influenced me. Why? If something or someone is capable of getting me to the point where no words can possibly share what I am experiencing, then I either need to celebrate the joy of that moment, or run for the hills because the thing is so evil I shouldn't be around it any longer!

Blessed are you who give yourselves over to God, turn your backs on the world’s “sure thing,” ignore what the world worships; the world’s a huge stockpile of God-wonders and God-thoughts.  Nothing and no one comes close to you! I start talking about you, telling what I know, and quickly run out of words. Neither numbers nor words account for you. (Psalm 40:4-5 MSG)

Look around you and you are sure to see all kinds of things that beg to be noticed. God's wonders aren't there for our casual consideration - they are put into our lives because they reveal a little bit more about him than we might have considered on our own. Take for example the clouds in the sky. As they pass over the sun, the light is obliterated - maybe not totally, but for whatever time the sun is behind those clouds, the light is just a little dimmer. Maybe these clouds are a lesson to us to not let anything get between God and us - because whatever it might be, the only purpose it serves is to obliterate the light of God in our lives!

The tiny bud on a plant beginning to take the form of a tomato or pepper. Do you ever stop to consider just how that transformation speaks to us of the tender care needed to bring forth fruit in due season? Or the importance of watching for those small, cleverly disguised things that creep in under cover and begin to destroy that developing fruit? Those tiny green worms that come on the tomato plant, for example, don't send up fireworks and red flares announcing their arrival. You probably don't even notice they are there until you inspect UNDER the leaves. They are camouflaged until they are uncovered. Sin is kind of like that - creeping in with the little compromises - and not fully recognized until God turns over the leaves of our lives to expose what has begun to do so much damage within.

Consider the birds of the air and how quickly they can take flight. Yet not all of their flight is quick or swift. Some birds find those currents of air they can just 'drift upon' and spend endless hours just circling and circling. We might be quick to 'take flight', but if all that flight just leaves us circling and circling in aimless repetitive 'inaction', we are not really getting anywhere. We may be 'at ease' and enjoying the moment of aimless drifting, but in the end, we won't be any further along than we were before we took that flight!

Yes, words can escape us, but consider all the wonders God gives us and you might just find there is much to be discovered as you do! Just sayin!