By: Pastor Jarren Rogers

“Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe” (John 4:48).

No more true for the royal official then it is for us today.

It seems that it is in the midst of life’s deepest sorrows and greatest tragedies that we begin to beg God for sign.

I need to know you’re real. I need to know you’ve not left me. I need to see you work!

And I think that’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with voicing your disappointments to God. But I think that God may not give us what we ask for a reason.

Think about the Old Testament. The Israelites saw God on a daily basis work signs and wonders. They saw manna and quail falling on their doorsteps. They watched as a pillar of fire stood guard in front of the tabernacle. They saw God send plagues and death upon the Egyptians for their evil and wicked ways.

And yet, it seemed to have no effect.

It was just after they saw God do all of these amazing and powerful wonders that Moses marches up to Mt. Sanai to speak with God. It’s just a short time later that he descends and is met with the Israelites worshiping golden calf at the foot of a mountain.

Are you serious!?

You’ve seen Yahweh destroy one of the greatest rulers of the day and provide for us a way out of Egypt and rather then follow Him wholeheartedly in trust and obedience, you instead kneel before a golden statue that has no more power than a paperclip.

You’ve got to be kidding me.

But their disobedience teaches us a lesson. A lesson of which I believe Jesus knew full well when He spoke these words.

In our biggest doubts and disappointments we crave signs and wonders from God. We just want to know He’s real and He cares. Then we can truly give everything in service to Him.

But the Israelites show us that even if you saw God work miracles every day it would have no effect. You would continue to be disobedient and disappointed. God cannot win human’s hearts with power and show. But instead only love and fidelity.

Jesus knew this. In fact, He lived it! His entire ministry is filled with miracle after miracle. The blind are seeing, the crippled are walking, the dead are raising. Here, people are able to see God in the flesh. He’s giving a foretaste of the Kingdom that will be finalized at the renewal of all things.

They saw signs and wonders and yet they still doubted. They resented Christ and called Him a blasphemer and a rebel. Their response to His signs and wonders led to His death.

Maybe we don’t really need to see signs and wonders. Maybe we just need to have obedience and have faith that God will do what He said He will do.

Voice your disappointments to God, but understand why He may not be giving you what you ask for.