“Why does this generation seek a sign?” (Mark 8:12)
We can easily understand why Jesus declined to honor the Pharisees’ request for a sign. Mark tells us right away what their motivation was—to test Jesus. For the most part, they already had their minds made up about him. If Jesus did per- form a miracle, they would accuse him of blasphemy. If he didn’t, they would say he was just another false prophet. Jesus wasn’t afraid of what they could do to him—but he knew that even the most amazing miracle he could perform wouldn’t change their opinion.
Still, we may want to give the Pharisees a little credit. They were actually on the defensive here. It was they who were being tested, not Jesus. If they were to accept his claims about himself, they could lose their elite social status as religious leaders. And worse, they would have to rethink their understanding of the Mosaic Law, which they had studied their entire lives. Jesus was asking something very difficult of the Pharisees, and for many of them, the risk was too great.
How about us? Everyone of us is regularly tested by God, as a necessary part of our growth into mature disciples. We can choose to see this testing as a good thing, or we can resist: “Lord, why am I facing this challenging road? Are you sure you want me to do this? Please send me one more sign to convince me that this is your will!” For us, just as for these Pharisees, stretching our faith muscles can hurt sometimes!
Perhaps the greatest thing we can ask for in our walk with the Lord is the grace of surrender. As difficult as it can be at times, there is also great comfort in being able to say: “Your will be done.” If we look at believers like Abraham, Peter, Mary, and Paul, we see that the reward for faithfulness to God’s will far outweighs the cost. Our sacrifices will seem light if we keep our eyes fixed on our goal: “the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus!” (Philippians 3:14).
“Lord, I can’t see the road ahead, so please help me to trust you as I step out in faith. I believe that any step taken in faith is a step forward!”
source : wau.org
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