Are You Waiting for a Miracle?

What are you waiting for God to do?

John 4 is one of my favorite chapters in the bible. I love the story of the Samaritan woman at the well, and the way Christ pursues her. I think though that I've gotten caught up in that story, and that I've missed the second half of this chapter, the story of a royal official who's son was dying. I think this story is so relevant and convicting to our own lives and how we are waiting for God to do some miracle in order to believe in Him. Read this short passage and I'll explain...

When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, for they also had been there. Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death. 

"Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe."

The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies."

Jesus replied, "You may go. Your son will live."

The man took Jesus at his word and departed. While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, "The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour."

Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he and all his household believed. 

Jesus is returning to where he performed His first miracle of turning the water into wine, and when the man approached Him he says in verse 48, "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders...you will never believe." I've heard it said many times that people love the gift and not the Gift Giver, Jesus. 

What's sad to me is I think God has been so faithful in our past, and we seem to forget not only the greatest gift of Him dying on the cross for our sins, but also his faithfulness of things he has gotten us through already. We quickly forget his previous miracles, and almost look at Him and say, "alright one more miracle, one more blessing, and I'll see I can trust you". How quickly we forget what God has done for us, and so often ask for more.

What is it in your life that you are waiting for God to do before you will believe? 

I love what John Piper has to say about the royal official's response:
"'The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.' What is remarkable about this is that the man had asked Jesus to come with him. But when Jesus simply spoke, 'Go; your son will live," the man obeyed without a question. He believed and went. He did not insist on seeing the miracle. He did not complain that Jesus would not come with him. And amazingly, he simply left, John says, believing. I'm inclined to think that in that moment of seeing Jesus speak so sovereignly in spite of his accusations, something awakened in the man. he saw something more than a miracle-worker."

The man believed in Jesus and trusted His word without knowing the outcome. Are you trusting in Jesus and his sovereignty? While we are waiting for God to do something He is already at work. He is doing more in our lives than we can possibly imagine (Ephesians 3:20). We have to see Christ as more than a miracle-worker. He is our Savior, our Messiah. He is faithful and good. 

I pray that we don't forget the miracles God has already done in our lives. His promises to walk with us through the fires and storms with us (Isaiah 43). I pray that like the royal official, we would take God at His word, trusting in the truth and promises found in the bible. Ultimately that we will never forget the greatest gift (Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9) He has already given us in the cross. He came from heaven down to earth for us. To live a perfect life, die on the cross, and rise again defeating death that we may have eternal life, and life abundantly through Jesus Christ. That is the greatest miracle. Jesus is all we need. What's amazing is we get to know the outcome. We have assurance of Salvation as believers (John 5:24). We know how this story ends. Trust in Him. 

BE EXPOSED

Are you afraid of being exposed?

My community group is going through John right now and last week did John 3. It's been awesome diving into the Word with some amazing women who all bring great insight each week on what they are learning. John 3 holds one of the, if not the, most well known verses from the bible:

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." 

This is how much God loves us. He gave his one and only Son for us that we might have eternal life. That is amazing love! But keep reading...

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” -John 3:17-21

There is so much in this passage, but the part that hit me most this time reading is verse 20:

Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

I've read John 3 many times, but the word EXPOSED stuck out so much this time and really struck a chord with me. I think often times we don't turn to God, or don't want to go to church, or don't want to be honest with people because we are afraid of being EXPOSED. 

I think that fear comes because of many reasons. We are afraid people might "judge" us. They might tell us to stop what we are doing. They might see that we aren't "perfect". We know what we are doing is wrong, but we don't want to admit it. Or we don't want to admit that we are struggling with something, or that we are hurting.

Before I found my current church, Watermark, I was afraid to admit how much I was hurting. I had never dealt with a lot of pain from my past. I wanted to appear strong and that I had everything together. I acted like life was great and I was living it up. I was living a lie. I was hurting, hiding, and trapped in the darkness. I've found the greatest freedom and healing though in bringing things into the light and being exposed. If you wonder what that means, "bringing things into the light", it simply means what the next verse says...being truthful. Letting others in your life know what's really going on. Being transparent. Not sitting in the darkness trying to hide the truth. Being completely transparent with a couple girl friends about my actions, thoughts, fears, insecurity, doubt, and struggles has been one of the greatest blessings in my life. They sharpen me, encourage me, pray for me, and continually call me to something greater...following and trusting Jesus. 

Being exposed is a good thing, because as you walk in the light the Lord can heal you. Restore you. Redeem you. Bring others along side you to encourage you, help you, and love you. Then you truly get to see more of how amazing God is. How faithful and good your loving Father is. And let me tell you HE IS GOOD. HE IS FAITHFUL. 

When you aren't exposed it will keep you from ever having a great relationship with those in your life, and more importantly you will always feel that distance between you and God.

Light has come into the world, the light is Jesus. Don't be the men and women that "love darkness instead of light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed."

As I've been reading for tonight's community group, and reading the next chapter in John, I am reminded by the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. God already knows what you are doing. He knows what you've done too. And he still loves you and wants to give you eternal life, living water, and free you from the darkness. That is why he sent his one and only Son, Jesus. Turn to Him and those in your life. There is nothing you have done to keep him from loving you. It doesn't matter how many times you have done it. There is nothing bigger than the cross. Be honest. Be exposed. Be set free.