Friday, July 14, 2017

Help Our Unbelief!

Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.’ Then they asked him, ‘What must we do to do the work God requires?’ Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.’” John 6:26, 28-29.

I find it interesting that right at the pinnacle of His success and impact, He calls the crowd out on their motivation. He doesn’t care about hurting their feelings or making them uncomfortable. He makes no apologies when accusing them of self-interest. His followers fail to understand that He came into the world to save souls, not to pacify people. They continued in their fellowship with Jesus inquiring about the manner in which they could fulfill God’s requirement. Jesus stated that the only work God required was that they believe in Jesus. This brings up two great points in my consideration of this conversation between Jesus and His followers. Lysa TerKeurst, author of Finding I Am formulates questions which I must consider and will also ask you for your consideration. ‘Why am I following Jesus? Is it so that I can get something from Him? Am I like the crowds who simply want their bellies filled? Or am I coming to Him because He is Bread to me? There is a difference in coming to Jesus for bread and because He is Bread.’ (p. 34) Talk about food for thought!

We also ask God through our prayers what it is that He would have us do. We search Scripture in hopes of understanding God’s will for our lives. He clearly tells us His requirement: It is to believe…to believe in Jesus…to believe that He is enough…to believe that through Him all things are possible. Jesus exhorts His followers even today that our work is to believe. I can’t help but to notice that believing and work certainly go together. It is work for the parents to believe that God has their prodigal child protected. It is work to believe that our medical issues can be healed. It is work to believe that sobriety can be maintained one more day. It is work to believe that we will not be in our situation for the rest of our lives. We cry out, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’ Mark 9:24. Believing IS work but the yield is enormous. The yield of work is transcending peace in a chaotic situation. The yield of work is comfort and rest in our grief. The yield of work is wisdom and guidance in a tough decision. When we approach Jesus as Bread instead of receiving bread we will get everything needed and exceedingly more than we can ever imagine.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20.

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