By David ReayWednesday 14 Sep 2016LifeWords DevotionalsFaithReading Time: 0 minutes
Transcript:
Read Luke 4:9-12
9 Then the devil took him to Jerusalem and set him on the highest ledge of the Temple. “If you really are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here, for the scripture says, ‘He shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you’, and ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone’.”
12 To which Jesus replied, “It is also said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God’.” (JBP)
When it comes to the miraculous, those who follow Jesus tend to fall into two categories. One is of those who assume the miraculous to be commonplace. Jesus did lots of miracles so we can assume his followers do likewise. The other category is of those who tend to see the miracles as belonging to that particular age, performing a particular function for that age. We should not have too many expectations of miracles today.
The truth is probably somewhere in between. Who says miracles have died out? Is not God still the same God? Do we not see signs of God’s miraculous intervention in our lives? Then again, those biblical miracles were not just brute displays of God’s power but were signposts pointing to something of his character. And by definition, miracles are not to be seen as ‘natural’. They are by nature exceptional.
Jesus was tempted to be a miracle-working Messiah. And indeed he did work miracles. But they always had a point. Miracles were never the means by which he got out of a tight spot or by which he got back at those who hurt him. He chose to stay on the cross and not demand a God-ordained miracle to rescue him.
Jesus did work miracles. We can expect some along the way too. But Jesus was never a ‘miracle-on-demand’ Messiah and nor should we demand miracles. Believe God can perform them, but leave him to choose the means. Let God be God.
Blessings
David Reay