What is God’s sign in your life?
Every day we live with signs. How do we drive? We follow the traffic signs (red means stop, green means go) to avoid an accident. How can we know that spring is coming? When we see sprouts coming out of the earth, we know spring is here. How can we know that autumn is coming? When the leaves start to change color, we know that autumn is here. We can see a sign and the result in every place.
Do you know what the bible used as a sign? In the old testament, water was used as a sign many times. In 1 Kings Chapter 18, we can see the prophet, Elijah. There was no rain in Israel for three years. Elijah started to pray and fire came down from heaven and the fire burned all on the altar. The fire was a sign, not a solution. In 1 Kings 18:45, “in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind; there was a heavy rain.” (NRSV)
God gave the water for the earth’s drought. The fire and the clouds were signs, but the solution and the result was the water. In Exodus, when Moses led the Israelites from Egypt, they had no water in the desert. The people complained to Moses and God. Moses prayed to God, and he followed God’s directive to strike the rock. Water came out from the rock. Striking the rock was a sign, not a solution. The solution was the water. When God shows the sign, there is always a preferred result. Then in the New Testament where is water? In John 4:7, “A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” Jesus asked the Samaritan woman for water. The Samaritan woman couldn’t draw water easily because the people disliked her. The Samaritan woman was very surprised that Jesus spoke to her. Jesus asked her for water. Water is a solution so that water could remove Jesus’ thirst from his body, but Jesus used the water in another way. In John 4:14, “but those who drink of the water that I give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.”
What happened? She asked for water to quench her thirst. Jesus gave the water which was salvation for the woman. Eternal life means salvation. Jesus used the water as a sign. The result is Jesus himself, the Messiah. In this story we can see the water represents Jesus Christ, Jesus asked not only for water, but also he wanted the Samaritan woman to be saved. In the bible, Apostle Paul was a very educated person. He was a Roman citizen who was very honorable. He was a respected leader in religious societies and organizations. His character was very detailed and strict. No one could change his thinking, and he was very rigid, but he changed into a good Christian. Paul met Jesus Christ and was changed. Before meeting with Jesus, he was a religious person, but after meeting with Jesus, he loved people with his whole heart. In Romans 9:3, Paul said, “For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, my kindred according to the flesh.” Paul did not just evaluate people, but he prayed for them. He proclaimed the salvation of Jesus Christ. In Philippians 3:20, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” This is not Apostle Paul’s knowledge. God gave Paul the sign and then Paul knew what the truth was.
God’s signs look like difficulties, but the result is a blessing in God’s way. Jesus’ cross looked like death, but Jesus was resurrected and gave eternal life to all of us. The cross is a sign and the result is eternal life in heaven. We have hope in heaven. God’s plan started with creation and finished at the end of the day. God’s promise was accomplished by Jesus already.
If you feel difficulties in your faithful life at this time, please do not be disappointed because that is a sign to give you a blessing for your eternal life in heaven. I wish all of you will see God’s sign and a blessing will result in your life.
Amen.
