I've been reading a bit about the presence of God. Sensing it and being aware of how frequently it occurs in our lives. One of the books I've been researching talks about the presence of God being present in proportion to the amount of faith we have to believe he exists. The reason he doesn't intervene more is due to the fact that it would not help or increase our faith.
I found this interesting b/c I always wonder why and how Jesus chose to heal the people he touched in the Bible. Why were those people healed? I realize that many more people were healed than documented, but why were the specific cases documented? What was special about those individuals? It had to have been their faith. There are several instances in which leaders or religious authorities asked Jesus to perform miracles and he refrained. Was it b/c their faith would not have benefited from those seeing those miracles? Were there minds already made up as to who Jesus was?
And then several times Jesus says, "He who has ears, let him hear!" Funny how even then it was evident that there was a difference between what is actually said and what is heard. Could it be that sometimes our lack of faith keeps our ears from hearing the true message? There comes a point where we move beyond the stories. I don't think I could build a faith on just the stories. There comes a point in my need... For reality. Authentic experience.
And praise God that he meets us where we are in our moment of need.
posted by Kelly @ 1:11:00 PM
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As I was doing preparations for the Corps Cadet lessons (yes Corps Cadets!) I taught this past Sunday, I was very interested to see how clearly Jesus knew how many people, who were following Him and were awed by His miracles, were actually only there because it was kinda like entertainment hour or a magic show.
John 6:30-40:
30So they asked him, “What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’[c]”
32Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34“Sir,” they said, “from now on give us this bread.”
35Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Right there at the end, He says everyone who looks to the Son and BELIEVES...who has faith in Him... will be raised up. All these people listened and watched, were mezmerized, but their hearts were not changed.
Man, obviously even in the very presence of Christ some still do not believe. And, as I'm learning on this journey I'm on, God has a time for each person's ears and eyes to be open...they can't be forced (oh so frustrating some times).
Long comment, I know, but that's me! :-) Love ya!
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