Signs from God

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him…”

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever–the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”   
                                                    (John 14:5-7, 15-17)

Have you ever wondered what it was about the star that made so many people look up and take notice? When we look into a clear night sky, it’s easy to be in awe of a mass of brilliant, twinkling stars set against a vast black backdrop. But what was it about this star hovering over Bethlehem- -the one that set local leaders on edge and prompted some to come from so far away?

Whether the light of this brilliant star was the result of planets coming into alignment during a cosmic phenomenon (as some have hypothesized) or simply an extraordinarily bright star, it was a sign from God. Though the wise men were not the only ones to see the star–after all, you couldn’t miss it–they saw the star for what it was; they realized it would lead them to God.

Life is full of signs. Your life is full of signs; and when you have eyes to see, you notice signs that point you to God and a life of fullness in God. What stirs you deeply and awakens your heart to the love and majesty of God? If you are a parent, you may have felt it the first time you looked into the face of your child. Perhaps you were amazed at the possibility that anything so wonderful could exist. As your gaze was transfixed upon your child’s face, you knew in that moment that the big questions in life have an answer–that this child must be a sign that there is Someone greater than you who is authoring our stories.

Maybe you are stirred when you gaze upon the beauty of a sunset or stand in awe of the majesty of a mountain. Perhaps music speaks to you, pulling out depths of feeling and questions that you cannot express in words. Maybe tragedy and suffering have left you broken but buoyed by a strength you know is not your own, making you certain that only God can get you through the deep valley of pain.

There are so many things in life that defy explanation or understanding. In The Wonder of Christmas we read, “Life is full of signs, and what distinguishes the wise from the foolish is the ability to recognize them for what they are.” Thankfully, God doesn’t leave us to figure out all these mysteries on our own. As Jesus prepared his disciples for his death on the cross, he assured them that he would not leave them alone but would ask God the Father to send a helper, Holy Spirit, to live within us. Jesus said:

      “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the
      Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything
      I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as
      the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
                                                                              (John 14:25-27)

God did not leave us alone to rely on our own wisdom. Instead God sent his Holy Spirit to guide us. In wisdom and love, God has declared: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you” (Jeremiah 29:13-14a). May this promise point you to God today.

Prayer Focus:
Do you sense the Holy Spirit leading you in life? Ask for the gift of wonder this Advent and for eyes to recognize God’s way of reaching out and revealing.

From: Rob Renfroe and Ed Robb