Would a Miracle a Day Really Keep Doubt Away?

pillar of fire

When we’re talking about people and what they believe, is it not true to say . . .

*Most people believe what they want to believe.

*God wants us to use our minds, but facts may or may not have much to do with what some people believe.

*Seeing is not necessarily believing.

*Not having faith is not possible. Everyone believes in something. Many in our society are so desperate for a god that they bow to the most popular and pathetic god of all. Instead of worshiping other gods or God, they worship themselves.

Years ago, G. K. Chesterton made fun of skeptics who would “complain that it is unthinkable for an admittedly unthinkable God to make everything out of nothing, and then pretend that it is more thinkable that nothing should turn itself into everything.”

Not believing is not an option for anyone. We all put our faith in something or someone.

I admit that I used to make the common mistake of thinking that living by faith would be easier if God would just make his presence a little more obvious.

Maybe God could part the waters of a sea, go before us in a “pillar” of cloud or fire, shake a church sanctuary on cue at the end of a prayer, “wow” us in an obvious display of his glory! But how many miracles per month does it take to bolster “faith” lest it falter during a drought or even a dip in signs and wonders? Is “a miracle a day to keep doubt away” faith really much faith at all?

But, sunrises aside, if we could just see God’s power obviously and often at work in amazing ways that no one could miss, wouldn’t it be easier to fall down and worship in amazement and awe?

The short answer is, no, it wouldn’t.

The Israelites of old saw the plagues of God and walked out of Egypt through the miraculously parted Red Sea.

God visibly led them in a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

Each day God fed them with his manna.

They trembled when Mount Sinai quaked with God’s very presence, but . . .

But Egypt is barely out of the rearview mirror and already they’re yawning at God, griping, and begging Aaron for a golden idol to worship.

Years later, in John 6 the crowd Jesus has recently fed shows up wanting more food. He tells them that God wants them to believe in the One sent by the Father, and they ask him to make belief easy.

“Show us a miraculous sign—something like what Moses did in the desert as he gave our ancestors manna to eat. Then we’ll believe!”

No, manna hadn’t really helped very much. Not then. And when the Bread of Life sent from heaven stands before the crowd, they want a greater, more eye-popping, sign.

So at times do we. But no sign is greater than Jesus himself. May we open our hearts to his Presence each day and believe.

 

  You’re invited to visit my website at http://www.CurtisShelburne.come! It’s way short of miraculous, but it’s not that bad, either! 

 

 

Copyright 2015 by Curtis K. Shelburne. Permission to copy without altering text or for monetary gain is hereby granted subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.

 

 


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