If I saw it

If I Saw It, Why Don’t I Believe It

“Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.” Matthew 15: 30-31

Numerous people came to the Sea of Galilee and the mountainside where Jesus was. The crowds were massive, and they all saw the signs and wonders Jesus performed. Jesus healed the multitude of ailments the people who came to Him carried.

They begged for healing and restoration, and Jesus gave them what they wanted.

What I find so interesting is that numerous people witnessed these miracles. And what did they do? “They praised the God of Israel.”

They praised God, which to me says they saw God working in Jesus. Yet just a mere chapters later, at the cross, in Matthew 27, they mocked Jesus and told Him to save Himself if He was the king of Israel, the Son of God.

“’He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.’” Matthew 27: 42

I question. Even then would they?

Do we?

So many times in life, we ask God for signs, symbols, and miracles to tell us or show us what we need to know from Him. And yet, when we get the sign, how often do we believe it, or do we ask for another one? And yet another?

Why do we do this? Why did they?

I believe it is because in our hearts, we actually don’t want to believe. We don’t want to do what God is calling us to do, so we question it and, in truth, delay it.

We delay our obedience under the guise of ensuring this is God and not our own desires.

This is not a bad thing in itself, and in fact, often in the Bible—I think of Gideon, Moses—God allows us to question or doubt for that moment, but then the moment is up.

We have to go in or go out.

If we go all in, we must trust that God has blessed us and will cover what we can’t do. He will be our strength, our courage, our ability.

All we have to do is say ‘yes’ and obey!

Heavenly Father. You have given me a heart made to follow you. To desire You. Help me to step out of my fears and into the strength you promise me if I simply say "yes" and obey. Help me to have courage. Help me to say 'yes'. I want to obey and live with you in lock step obedience. Amen