Read
31Once again the people picked up stones in order to kill Jesus. 32But he said, “I have shown you many good things my Father sent me to do. Which one are you going to stone me for?”
33They answered, “We are not stoning you because of any good thing you did. We are stoning you because you did a terrible thing. You are just a man, and here you are claiming to be God!”
34 Jesus replied:
In your Scriptures doesn't God say, “You are gods”? 35You can't argue with the Scriptures, and God spoke to those people and called them gods. 36So why do you accuse me of a terrible sin for saying that I am the Son of God? After all, it is the Father who prepared me for this work. He is also the one who sent me into the world. 37If I don't do as my Father does, you should not believe me. 38But if I do what my Father does, you should believe because of that, even if you don't have faith in me. Then you will know for certain that the Father is one with me, and I am one with the Father.
39Again they wanted to arrest Jesus. But he escaped 40 and crossed the Jordan to the place where John had earlier been baptizing. While Jesus was there, 41many people came to him. They were saying, “John didn't work any miracles, but everything he said about Jesus is true.” 42A lot of those people also put their faith in Jesus.
Reflect
Our God is a God of miracles. When he puts spiritual truth on display, often he reverses physical truth. As he intended, when we are faced with the unexplainable we have to concede that we are not in full control of our world.
The Jews of Jesus’ day had compartmentalized the events they saw unfolding. They were tolerant of his healings – they did not deny they had happened – but became violently intolerant when confronted with Christ’s claim that his power was divine. He responded to their death threats by asking them to look at the lives he dramatically changed, and challenged them with the mystery of his relationship with the Father.
Our friends might also believe that Jesus was a wise and good man, but deny that the salvation he offers is necessary. A respectful response may be to tell the story of God’s surprising work in my life. Though it is risky, I should be willing to pray that God would continue to use my life as a platform for miracles.
Miracles are messy, and require me to reach the end of all my resources. They can only be attributed to God if I am rendered helpless. Like many of those who received Jesus’ healing touch, I might have to call out blindly, interrupt, plead and dig through roofs before I am transformed.
Our testimonies may not be dramatic, but we can be faithful in recognizing the small miracles God works in us daily and give him the glory, preparing our hearts for greater responsibilities. As 1 Peter 3:15b-16a says, ‘Always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope. Give a kind and respectful answer…’. May we have the courage and grace to do so.
Respond
Almighty God, your compassion brings about transformation. Use my life as a testimony to your power and grace. May I know your miraculous touch and declare your sovereignty with joy. In the name of the Son who is one with the Father, Amen.
Miriam Wickett
Miriam Wickett works as an occupational therapist in the Greater Vancouver area but has thoroughly enjoyed being the author of daily online prayer compilations on her Blue Stone City site, and collaborating with Scripture Union Canada as a result. She shares a vision for the city with her community at Tenth Church, serving as the refugee support ministry co-ordinator, and spends summers as a volunteer camp director on beautiful Thetis Island, B.C.