Encountering Jesus ~ Because He says, "It is so..."

Last week, I camped on the truth that God doesn't require "works" but rather requires His work and the evidence of His work is the moving and changing that results in my transformed life. Movement is the evidence of "work."

But that answer wasn't quite good enough for the people speaking with Jesus... 

So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” (John 6.30-31)

Anyone else find it interesting that the in the previous statement, Jesus had affirmed to the crowd that the only "work" that God required was faith - a work empowered by God but also mandating movement toward God by men. He had affirmed this with His spoken word. 

The people immediately demanded a sign - something to give them a concrete reason to believe. I immediately started asking myself, "Why?" ... and wondering if I might have done the same thing if I'd been standing in their shoes.

Their reasoning wasn't totally faulty. God had used signs all throughout the story of the Israelite exodus from Egypt - He backed up the words He gave first to Aaron, who communicated them them to Moses, who then pronounced them to the people and then validated what he'd said as coming from God by working a sign. This continued beyond the exodus as well. As the people wandered in the desert, God proved His promise to provide for them through daily manna - and this convinced the people to keep on following Moses. Thus, they believed, not because of the words they heard but because of the miraculous works they saw and experienced.

Which has me thinking...

Do I often make the same sort of a demand upon God? 

Does He communicate truth to me through His Word... 

and I tell Him, "I want to believe, but first...???"

Do I first demand the experiential living out in such a way that I can see and sense God's care, provision and/or direction...???

Do I tell God I've got to "feel it" or "see how all the pieces fit?"

or 

Do I take Him at His Word? 

Can I choose to trust His Word totally and completely by faith, without any evidence? 

Do I simply believe because He says, "It is so...?"

  this week's gratitude list

(#'s 4061 - 4081)

a great Friday night with friends... it had been a long time coming

paths crossing when they don't, normally

good conversations about growing kids

a coffee hangout called Coffee Chaos

volleyball practices have started

running and walking with my kiddos

hotel reservations for that anticipated trip to Pennsylvania

good report concerning my nana's eye surgery

Brendan's chance to work with his grandfather - and just the opportunity for them to spend time together

softball games

a brief, but delightful visit from friends from our Niger life... and the neat opportunity to watch our two worlds mesh together for a few moments

early morning thunderstorms

phone call from Cali-land

coupons for tennis shoes

celebrating our friends' 40 years of marriage

girly slumber parties with a single little guy who didn't feel the least bit out of place

deer by the side of the road

turkeys she's convinced were at the dentist office to greet her yet once again

finally, the stuff is in place and we are ready for another load from Lansing

sport's physicals for the three big girls, courtesy of Cousin Mike

Cedar Point fun and experiencing roller coasters and theme parks for the first time 

Ten most recent posts in this series: 

• An Amazing Afternoon Hanging out at the Pool
• When Jesus asks me, what is my response?
• "Arise..."
• "...take up thy bed and walk!"
• Jesus Encounter Take Two
• It's the beginning of a showdown!
• Jesus speaks with the Jews in charge
• "And what would YOU have said? What would YOU have done?"
• When seeing God at work just isn't what I expected
• "When did You get here?"
• "How do you know you are making God happy?"

Click here for all of the titles and their corresponding links in the Encountering Jesus series.