David asked for a sign in Psalm 86:
Psalms 86:17 (NIV)
17Give me a sign of your goodness,
that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
for you, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.
Many times I have quoted this verse in my prayers to the Lord. And many times He has graciously shown me a sign or two of what I was requesting from Him.
But there were quite a number of occassions and circumstances when there were no signs. And God was just asking me to trust Him totally.
Sometimes it seems like a lack of faith, just as with the Jews when Jesus was walking among them
John 4:48 (NIV)
48“Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
It's true, right? Sometimes our belief in our Lord becomes dependent on signs that He will show of who He is and what He has promised us He would do for us.
There are times in life when we need to walk by faith, and just trust in His promises for us, and trusting in who He is.
But, as human as we are, we still look for signs.
This is why, I believe, the greatest sign was given by our Lord when Thomas just could not believe Jesus was alive (we call him doubting Thomas...hopefully not out of judgment but because he is so much like us!).
John 20:24-25 (NIV)
24Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”
There are many times when we cannot see our Lord in certain circumstances. The problem, the hardship, the pain, seem to overwhelm us and overshadow the reality of our God and His promises.
But Jesus was gracious enough to deal with the doubt of Thomas:
John 20:27-29 (NIV)
27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
What sign did our Lord show Thomas? He said "see My hands...reach out your hand and put it into My side". Jesus showed Thomas the proof of His dying on the cross, the price He paid to save us from our sins. There is no greater expression of His love than that.
There is no other sign that we need.
So, if we ever come to a situation where our circumstances seem to question the love and faithfulness of our God remember the cross! It was in the cross where our Savior and Lord showed the ultimate expression of His love and faithfulness to us. There is no greater expression of love than dying for us, even while we were still sinners. No greater love.
So, when circumstances in our life seem to question the love and faithfulness of our God go back to the cross. He already showed us the extent of His love. It's impossible that He will not show it in our everyday circumstances.
48“Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
It's true, right? Sometimes our belief in our Lord becomes dependent on signs that He will show of who He is and what He has promised us He would do for us.
There are times in life when we need to walk by faith, and just trust in His promises for us, and trusting in who He is.
But, as human as we are, we still look for signs.
This is why, I believe, the greatest sign was given by our Lord when Thomas just could not believe Jesus was alive (we call him doubting Thomas...hopefully not out of judgment but because he is so much like us!).
John 20:24-25 (NIV)
24Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”
There are many times when we cannot see our Lord in certain circumstances. The problem, the hardship, the pain, seem to overwhelm us and overshadow the reality of our God and His promises.
But Jesus was gracious enough to deal with the doubt of Thomas:
John 20:27-29 (NIV)
27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
What sign did our Lord show Thomas? He said "see My hands...reach out your hand and put it into My side". Jesus showed Thomas the proof of His dying on the cross, the price He paid to save us from our sins. There is no greater expression of His love than that.
There is no other sign that we need.
So, if we ever come to a situation where our circumstances seem to question the love and faithfulness of our God remember the cross! It was in the cross where our Savior and Lord showed the ultimate expression of His love and faithfulness to us. There is no greater expression of love than dying for us, even while we were still sinners. No greater love.
So, when circumstances in our life seem to question the love and faithfulness of our God go back to the cross. He already showed us the extent of His love. It's impossible that He will not show it in our everyday circumstances.
