Give Me A Sign

The Apostle Paul wrote: “For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” As we move through this Christian season of Lent and approach Palm Sunday and Easter, we know that the message of the cross can sound rather foolish to some people. During difficult times we often begin to question the purpose and meaning of life. We say to God, “Please give me a sign!”

God does send signs! However, we have trouble understanding them. Or we are trying to find signs that prove what we want to say, and not what God really means. Or we don’t see the signs for what they are. In the Bible, Jesus gave sign after sign and many ignored him. He changed water into wine. He healed the sick and gave sight to the blind. He fed 5,000 with just 2 small fish and 5 small loaves. He healed leprosy and raised Lazarus from the dead. Many of Jesus’ followers and even the disciples would not or could not read the signs. Often, we are the same way.

There are signs of the presence of God everywhere! Every time someone reaches out to love and care for someone else; every time the poor and hungry are fed and cared for; every time a missionary doctor brings healing to those who are hurting; every time a child smiles and laughs because they know they are loved. Every time we offer unconditional love and forgiveness to others we see the presence of God.

Attending worship, prayer, study of scripture, partaking of the Lord’s Supper, all these things help us stand in the presence and love of God, and keep us focused. We have to maintain that focus and we have to take care of ourselves spiritually so that our faith stays fresh and our love of God and our love for God stays fresh. While trying to minister to others, while trying to live as followers of Jesus Christ, we need to make sure we keep our own spiritual houses in order. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism said we can do that by “staying in love with God.”

We stay in love with God by faithful participation in what John Wesley called the “Means of Grace.” Those things which help us stay in love with God are attending worship, prayer, Christian fellowship, Bible Study, the Lord’s Supper and by being faithful stewards of all that God has given to us including our time, talent and money. That brings us back to the cross again. It may seem foolish, but the cross is the wisdom and power of God. The cross becomes our focal point, which allows us to see beyond the worldly view to the divine point of view. The cross is a bridge between God and humanity. So many times in life we wish that there were a place where we could leave the past behind and start over again. There is only one place in the world like that, and it is located on a hill called Calvary, at the foot of an old rugged cross.

Jesus gave us the ultimate sign when it was discovered the tomb was empty! Jesus has risen from the grave and He gives us eternal life! The tomb is empty, but not the promise. The tomb is empty, but not our lives. The tomb is empty, but not God’s love or the love we are called to share. The tomb is empty, but not our faith. The tomb is empty because Son of God is alive and so are we! Jesus’ resurrection is the ultimate sign and it fills us with promise, possibility and purpose. See you in church!