Matthew 16:4
An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.
Which Comes First?
When Peter asked Jesus if he could come to Him and walk on the water, Jesus didn’t give him a sign for nor did Peter ask for a sign before taking the first step. After Jesus said come (Matt 14:29), He expected Peter to take the first step, a step of faith, and sure enough Peter walked on the water (Matt 14:22-33). It went well until Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and looked down at the water and that’s when he began to sink. Do you think Peter waited for a sign from God like something supernatural or did Peter have to take the first step before the miracle happened and Peter actually walked on water? Peter had to make the first step, a big step of faith, and then Jesus suspended the natural laws of nature by His miraculous powers. If someone wants to see a sign from God before they step out on faith, then is that really faith?
A Radical Faith
Have you ever heard of George Mueller? He started by building five large orphan houses and cared for 10,024 orphans in his lifetime. When he started in 1834 there were accommodations for 3,600 orphans in all of England but twice that many children under eight were in prison because they had no place else to live. Fifty years after Mr. Mueller began his work, at least one hundred thousand orphans were cared for in England alone and the astounding thing is that he never asked anyone for money. What did he do to secure the much needed funds to care for so many children in so many orphanages? He simply prayed. He prayed that if God really wanted him to build these orphanages and care for these thousands of orphans, He would have to provide the funding for it so Mr. Mueller determined to never solicit help from anyone for anything for these orphanages and the needs of the orphans and he was a man of his word. He took the first step of faith and God met him there. If he had waited on a sign from God first, not one orphanage would have ever been built and thousands of orphaned children in England would have probably died. This man had a radical faith and one that trusted God completely.
Walking on Faith
Peter didn’t really walk on water, he walked on faith. Could he really or can any of us really walk on water? No, it takes a powerful faith but God will meet us where are faith takes us. It’s almost like what Solomon wrote that whoever observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap (Eccl 11:4) because they’re waiting to see a sign first before they sow their seed. Consider that the farmer must plant the seed in faith and expect the rains to come and the crops to grow. If the farmer keeps waiting for a sign first, like the coming rains or the warming weather, he might be too late. James wrote that people who say they have faith, but do nothing, really prove that their faith is useless (James 2:14). What about you? Are you waiting for a sign from God? Do you think He may be waiting for you to make the first step of faith?
A Closing Prayer
Father, I know that I lack the faith that You desire in me and that I sometimes hesitate to take that first step of faith. Please help me to know when to take that radical step of faith and when not to and to not keep looking for signs from You first and in Jesus’ great name I pray.
Amen
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