As I read this two things jumped out to me: First, the word believe. After looking it up in an outline of biblical usage I found words that fit with it. These words or phrases are; commit unto, commit to, trust, be put in trust with. All these things lead to us actively buying in and changing how we live because of our belief. Look at what Paul shares in 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 13, “But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.” Does our belief lead us to commit to Jesus and learn and grow to be just like Him? Or does it make us comfortable and complacent as we do the bare minimum but our heart really doesn’t change?
Look at John chapter 2 verses 20-25 which say, “What! They exclaimed. ‘It has taken forty-six years to rebuild this Temple, and you can rebuild it in three days? But when Jesus said ‘this temple,’ He meant His own body. After He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered He had said this, and they believed both the scriptures and what Jesus had said. Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem and the Passover celebration, many began to trust in Him. But Jesus didn’t trust them, because He knew human nature. No one needed to tell Him what mankind was really like.” Our believing means nothing without commitment; trust and faith because everything in our lives won’t be miracles there are going to be disasters. Are we going to act the same way toward God during the disasters as we do during the miracles?
Warren Wiersbe states this, “However, throughout the book, John makes it clear that it takes more than believing in miracles for a person to be saved. Seeing the signs and believing in them would be a great beginning, in fact, even the disciples started that way and had to grow in their faith.” We can make this incredible and active by surrendering our lives and seeking to know all we can about Jesus and continuing to work on living like Him.
Secondly, the statement; “…but it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God.” When I think of listening I think of comprehending what is being said and that takes me learning more if needed. We can’t just let it go in one ear and out the other, that is when we believe but don’t show the trust and faith we need to surrender our will for God’s. Look at Hebrews chapter 4 verse 11, “So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.” As we continue to grow and focus on Jesus we get stronger because the Holy Spirit in us becomes louder ad we desire to do only what the Spirit tells us. As we read what it says in Hebrews chapter 4 verses 12-13 let it cut our hearts and settle in. “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and morrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes, and He is the one to whom we are accountable.”
Let’s believe and listen to what God is showing us and take the steps needed to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Amen