2 minute read.
Daily Reading: 1 Samuel 5:1-7:17 ESV, John 6:1-21 ESV, Psalm 106:13-31 ESV, Proverbs 14:32-33 ESV
Daily Verse: “And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.” (John 6:2 ESV)
SEMEION (4592): “Is a manifest deed, having in itself an explanation of something hidden and secret. It denotes “a sign, mark, indication, token,” is used of that which distinguished a person or thing from others. As tokens of divine authority and power, Jn 6:2.”[i]
Divine tokens.
During Jesus’ ministry, He performed miracles. People followed Him because they wanted to see what Jesus did. Repeatedly, Christ astonished people with His teachings and actions. Today’s verse comes before the feeding of 5000 men (plus wives and children) with five loaves of bread and two fish. The disciples gathered 12 baskets of leftovers, a miracle indeed.
The more miracles Jesus performed, the larger the crowd became. As we pursue Christ in our own lives and begin to experience His divine presence, we’ll want more of what Jesus offers, peace in a turbulent world, freedom from sin, unconditional love, and eternal life.
Ask for signs.
God wants a relationship with you more than anything else in the world. Jesus died on the cross to unite our imperfections with God’s perfection. Freedom comes as we confess our sins and choose to follow Jesus. God doesn’t give us the full itinerary for our life’s journey; He guides us one step at a time.
“Show me the next step” helps me keep moving forward when I don’t know what to do. During those times in life when I’m stuck, asking God for direction comes from His word and in a myriad of different ways. Sometimes, a text from a friend will spur me onward, other times, promptings from God’s Spirit move me forward, and sometimes, God gives me a miraculous sign.
We won’t receive it if we don’t ask God for direction. Like highways have signs to help us reach our destination, we sometimes need personalized instructions from above. Ask God for a sign, then ask Him not to let you miss it.
Lord knows I miss the signs sometimes. But thank God, He never stops directing. Like any journey, sometimes we need to make U-turns to get back on track.
[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 226) Thomas Nelson
