Jesus on a piece of Toast
This is our weekly post here at deposition of our faith. Thank you for joining us.
This is week 4
(Although you can start from anywhere, we encourage you to read up on previous posts as well; sometimes, previous topics lead to new articles)
Scripture Reading: Matthew 16:4
It’s very common amongst religious folks to see people who look for supernatural things; let’s call them “signs”. I’m not talking about seeking miraculous intervention, I’m talking about the other kind; something paranormal and supernatural that they can anchor their faith upon.
“Oh I need a sign that God is hearing me!”
In other words, people are waiting for something to happen that is inexplainable by science and the human senses, so that they can hold on steadfastly to the reality of God’s promises.
If you’ve been reading this blog, then you already know what I’m going to say. That is not how faith works.
People think faith is equivalent to magic. However, let me show you a key distinction between faith and magic:
A magician does not need your belief to show you a magic trick. In fact, most magicians want you to be skeptical, so that they can then prove to you that they are good at the art of illusion. They don’t need you to think they are good enough before they can do their magic. Most times, they don’t care about your beliefs at all. Faith, on the other hand, requires your believing, not skepticism, in order to work. It’s not magic. You are supposed to be so sure of an answer that getting the answer doesn’t change anything; you already knew God could do what He said He would do.
Faith is bigger than looking for peculiarities and discrepancies in reality. There are a lot of people who get conned into so many weird and dubious ideologies because they are looking for a sign.
Now, am I saying that God does not do things that are inexplainable by humans?
No. Not by a long shot.
Jesus turned water to wine (John 2:9). Moses, by God’s power, parted the red sea (Exodus 14:16). God is far higher than we are (Isaiah 55:9). He can do whatever He wants (Isaiah 46:10). In fact, everything we now believe is possible in the realm of science and observation only makes sense because it happened. Every new natural phenomenon that upends previously established scientific theories is a miracle: we just got used to calling it “fact” because scientists incorporated it into science.
Anyways, back to the point. Yes, God doth work in mysterious ways. However, when we start looking for signs and not answers, what happens is that we sometimes ignore the answer even when it is staring us in the face. When we start looking for signs, we start to leave the realm of faith, and enter the realm of reason (Matthew 16:1-3); we begin to look for physical “evidence” in order to believe God.
However, from scripture we know two things,
- “faith cometh by hearing the word” (Romans 10:17), not by seeing a “sign”. Hearing the Word could also be hearing a testimony (Revelation 12:11, John 4:39). The people in the Bible would come to hear Jesus preach AFTER they heard testimonies. First, “Come see a man who told me all that I ever did” (John 4:29–30). Then, Jesus would heal them according to their faith in the words that He spoke, (John 4:48–51). The people who would approach Jesus looking for a sign in the Bible were rebuked because they were coming from an angle of skepticism. “He isn’t ‘Lord’ until he proves it with signs”. Meanwhile, others in need of miracles cried out, “Thou Son of David…” (Mark 10:47), signifying that they recognised His lordship even before He healed them. Many people think simply seeing signs and wonders will make them believe. I used to think that too. However, I saw a quote that said, “to the believer, no proof is necessary. However, to the skeptic, no proof is possible.” That makes sense. We can explain away anything we don’t want to believe — even to the point of questioning our own sanity. If you don’t believe in the integrity of what you are seeing and the Word you heard that brought it to be, you will be faithless.
- Also, answers from God only come after we have believed that they would arrive (Mark 11:24). If you believe the answer will arrive, you will be on the lookout for the answer and not a “sign” that God heard you.
When you approach God in prayer, stop leaving one eye open hoping to see a cloud of fire and cherubs singing out the praises of your destiny. Don’t wait there looking for a pillar of smoke.
“God was not in the wind…God was not in the fire…and then Elijah heard a still small voice” — (1 Kings 19:12)
Expect answers, not signs.
Think about it this way, if you are in the hospital trying to communicate to a friend who is unconscious, that is when you wait to see cues and “signs” that the person is actually hearing what you are saying. You wouldn’t need to wait for such when you are talking to an active person who you are already in a conversation with. In other words, Most times, when we look for “signs”, we are doing it from a place of doubt. We are not sure God is awake and not comatose, so, we look for cues to see if he’s listening. We start looking for shaking tables and creaking doors, when God is about to speak to us with a still inner witness.
It is only when you are talking to somebody who is hard of hearing or busy with something else that you don’t go on with your conversation without confirming that he/she is hearing you.
God is neither comatose, sleeping nor hard of hearing (Psalm 121:4, Isaiah 59:1). If you are born again and you have confessed your sins, you have direct access to God in prayer.
Why?
We have been made the righteousness of GOD through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21), and the prayer of the righteous man availeth much (James 5:16).
Simple as that.
Stop peeping, or looking for a sign in the song that comes up on the radio immediately after you prayed, hoping that the radio will start singing your answers to you.
God can show you signs, but only because you expected answers. You only look for signs if you are not sure that the person you are trying to get to can even hear what you are saying. You expect answers from people you know are listening to you.
God is not an amulet. He’s not a cross. He’s not a statue, He’s not a totem. He answers, He speaks. You are just not hearing because you’re not listening or you’re listening for something else.
Every radio channel is on air, broadcasting music, shows, adverts, news…but if you’re not tuned in, they are not talking to you.
Tune yourself to God’s frequency by expecting to receive answers through faith, and not just waiting to see Jesus on a piece of toast.
See you again next week,
God be with ye till then!
