He parted the Red Sea, and they followed Him. He blinded Saul of Tarsus, and he called Him Lord. He brought fire down from heaven, and those who were serving Baal started serving God instead. He healed the lame, gave sight to the blind, walked on water and rose from the dead, and they called Him Savior.
We need to see what we call miracles, something not just completely outside of the ordinary, but that which can only be called an act of God, then, for at least some of us, we will believe. “The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17) But after how many miracles?
There are two ways we speak to God, in praise, offering Him the glory, honor and recognition that only He deserves, and by prayer, and those prayers are nearly, if not always, in the form of some type of request. “Give me, bless me with, help me,” those request we ask for that we know can only be fulfilled by the Almighty. But do not attempt to deceive yourself here, if you were with them that day when Pharoah’s army approached, when there is no way of escape, death by the sword or drowning in the sea, you would have doubted.
“Keep the miracles coming and I will believe.”
Ask yourself this, is your faith enough when those prayers requests are not answered, when the Lord decides to be silent. It is a telling verse, the just living by faith, not sight.
If you can comprehend Lazarus at the rich man’s gate, if you can sit in Job’s spot on the dunghill, if you can be in the cell right beside John the Baptist, you can understand, faith without any seen or experienced miracle is just, is faith that trusts completely and without question.
I’m not sure you have noticed this, but when a terrible event happens, people pay attention. Those news releases and videos that show horrific events get a lot of attention, while those whose heading is of love garner few.
During the Tribulation period, many will come to Christ, not because they love Him, at least not initially, but because of the incredible turmoil and suffering that will be occurring, all you need to do is look at the examples offered in this short letter, fire comes down from heaven and people listen, they change their mind about who is really in charge. It is in our nature to go astray, it is in our nature to submit to the stronger force, and when the Almighty makes something happen that only He can do, people not only listen, but submit to His Sovereign authority. The real question is, how long in between those miracles does it take the average person to begin to doubt, to leave the One they turned to, before they need God to perform another sign.
The just live by faith, not sight.
“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:” (Job 19:25) When did he say that?
“And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” (Exo. 16:3) How many miracles did they witness before they started complaining again?
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1) Not the viewing of miracles, not a good feeling inside, not the continuing proof of love and concern for you, not by sight. It is why you will read in these poorly written letters so often, “No matter the circumstances or the possible consequences to yourself.”
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) Not by miracles, not by answered prayers alone, the just shall live by faith, not sight.
