To hear this Morning Devotion, please click A dangerous trap
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It is one of the most dangerous traps that we Christians face.
Its lethalness is veiled by our innate desire to experience the supernatural.
What am I talking about? So many people fall prey to the religious quicksand of a “Wow! Got any other tricks?” mentality.
Truth be told, we’ve all wandered at times into the mindset of attaching our measure of faith in God to the measure of His supernatural demonstrations of material provision, of physical healing, of restoring emotionally scarred relationships, of ex-jock strong guys ripping phone books in half while preaching, etc..
Such moments are magnificent and often thrilling.
Such moments also carry the risk of becoming pre-conditions of our loyalty to Christ.
Of course, few believers would acknowledge having a “What have you done for me lately?” attitude toward Christ.
For such an attitude is the epitome of selfishness and borders on self-worship.
Yet, if our loyalty to faith ebbs and flows based on what’s in our spiritual cupboards or of what’s happening up on the platform, then aren’t we as immature children with worship based not on who God is but instead on what we possess?
Of course, we know better.
And as we worship and serve God because of His holiness and majesty rather than because of the latest show of power, then our faith is where it needs to be.
You’ll recall that one of the most faithful givers in the Bible was a poor widow who gave two pennies at the temple.
Jesus affirmed her because she worshipped passionately without respect to supernaturally supplied earthly blessings.
It’s such a powerful picture for us that should become a permeating presence in our faith.
I share this topic today because of what I read in the One-Year Bible from John 6. Jesus had one day earlier miraculously fed thousands of people from a kid’s lunch basket. It was amazing. The next day, the crowds tracked Him down on the opposite side of the Sea of Galilee and asked Jesus to tell them what works of life that God requires (verse 28).
“Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”
How did these people respond to Jesus? Remember they had just seen Him feed thousands and thousands of people from a single basket lunch.
They said they needed another miraculous sign in order to believe Jesus was divine. After all, they said, their ancestors were given manna in the desert.
“What will you do?” they asked Jesus.
Tragically, this episode ended with a number of people rejecting Jesus as the Messiah as they grumbled about His being a local kid from parents they knew.
Why did they grumble and reject Jesus? Because He wouldn’t put on another show for them.
I trust that your faith is not of the “What have you done for me lately?” variety.
The fact is that the gift of salvation that became ours when we confessed Him as Savior with our words and baptism is MORE than enough of a reason to worship and serve God for the rest of our lives, regardless of a single, supernatural blessing coming our way after we chose Christ.
If you’re struggling with faith now because supernatural blessings have been few and far between, please read John 6:22-42. It will help you to put things in the proper perspective, I’m sure.
And remember the poor widow. When she put in her two cents, she also gave us an example that is priceless for preserving our faith.
As always, I love you
Martin
