Surely, you've asked God for some kind of sign before. Did you feel evil or adulterous when you did?
Let's think about when people wanted a sign from Jesus.
Remember Doubting Thomas? He wouldn't believe the good news about Jesus unless he could see it for himself. He needed a specific sign. And he got it.
A group of scribes and Pharisees approached Jesus once and said, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you." In response, he denounced them as part of "an evil and adulterous generation."
So, what's the difference? Timing and attitude, I suppose.
Thomas had participated in Jesus' ministry and then witnessed the devastation of his crucifixion. He experienced a painful loss that completely challenged his faith.
The religious leaders had also seen and heard from Jesus. But they had come up with some strange explanations for it all. Their request for another sign, maybe even a specific sign, wasn’t about trust. They wanted to test Jesus. They weren't lacking evidence, but resisting it. Their demand wasn't, "Help us believe," but "prove yourself on our terms."
So, how do we know where we fit?
Timing and attitude, I suppose.
Life is full of questions and wonderings. It's good to seek God's wisdom and guidance. But to expect God to submit to our demands is not that.
Are we bringing honest questions shaped by loss, hope, or a desire to trust? Or are we setting conditions for God, deciding in advance what would count as enough?
Faith can ask for signs. But it also learns to recognize the sign we’ve already been given. The cross and the empty tomb are not just a sign. They are the sign.
Pay attention to what you're asking God and why? Are you asking to believe or refusing to believe unless God answers your way?
Stay blessed...john
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