The book of John is filled with signs, not miracles. Same thing? Yeah, but there is more significance to a sign; a sign points to something greater. The signs in the book of John pointed to Jesus, his divine nature, and his ability to save lives. After Jesus’ seventh sign, the raising of Lazarus from the dead, the religious leaders finally understood. This sign cements Jesus’ position as someone they must kill.
In some churches, Jesus is held up as a miracle worker and someone who seems to be beyond our grasp. We may think, “how in the world can we, sinful men and women, ever identify with Jesus?” He did this miracle. He did that miracle. He never sinned. We may come away with the idea that He’s too different from us.
That precious heirloom from Grandma is protected from all kinds of harm. You never let the children play near it. It is enclosed in some type of protective case. If that heirloom is some type of glass object, it might be placed in a locked cabinet. If that heirloom is a quilt; it may be placed in a wooden chest and hidden away. There are so many things that need protected at any cost. Do we even do that with our faith?
I am proud to announce that I now sit at a clean desk. I find it amazing that my desk was clean just a few weeks ago. It WAS clean. It WAS spotless. But then I began my normal routine and the clutter began to pile high. My desk reminds me of the Christian life…
Sometimes things become so piled up that a person can’t find their way through life. Demands from the office, school, friends, church, and family sometimes look like mountains of commitments. There are times when we barely have enough energy to climb up a small hill, more less a mountain.
Sometimes life gets tough. I mean real tough. Habakkuk tough. That kinda translates to “almost wanting to give it all up” tough. What are you going to do? What did Habakkuk do?
Never would any of us accept a doctor telling us to “pick a medicine, any medicine” as if he were a street corner magician, even if he added the caveat that it was all made to make us feel better. However, our society does this more and more when it comes to religion. Society says, “Pick a religion, any religion; it all takes you to the same place.”