Scripture: Luke 11:29
When the crowds grew, Jesus said, “This generation is an evil generation. It looks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except Jonah’s sign.”
Thought for the Day: Ok Jesus, we need to work on our speech writing. When the crowd grows, that’s not the time to insult them. Yet it appears that Jesus does not care. He is genuinely concerned about those who are basing everything on signs and wonders. I think many of us view such things as confirmation of Jesus, but the signs and wonders are really parables in action. They reveal the nature and heart of God, and are not intended to prove anything. There were magicians and miracle workers on every corner in the days of Jesus, and so you understand why Jesus discourages the use of his healings and feedings and other events as proof of anything special. Only the sign of Jonah will be worthy of bringing real change and transformation. The sign of Jonah is ‘code’ for the tomb and resurrection. Of course Jonah spent three days in the belly of a big fish, and though he remained a reluctant prophet after being spit-up on the beach, he returned to life. The message of the resurrection is about change and transformation, and with it is the hope for our own lives that need change and transformation. I see many signs and wonders all around me each day, and they provide glimpses of God’s love and beauty. I also believe in the message of resurrection, the revelation of how the Spirt is always at work to bring life out of death, joy from the depths of despair and healing from the rubble of a crushed life.
Prayer: May I enjoy your presence all around me, God of Grace, while also enjoying your capacity to bring light into the darkness of our lives. Amen.
TOMORROW
