January 15 Do Your Belief

John 6:28-30 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” 29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” 30 So they asked him, “What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?” 
 
IN various scriptures, Jesus connects love with action: “If you obey (d0) my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.” (John 15:10) Truly loving God, you will actively do Jesus’ love. Jesus set the example. Our Savior’s life on earth was an active picture of the Holy Trinity doing His love onto mankind.
   Now Jesus essentially says, “Do your belief.” He is teaching the crowd to seek eternal food as opposed to the next meal. Urgently he says, “Work for food that endures to eternal life.” The crowd then asked a good question, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” They must have been surprised at his response, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” How is work – something you do – connected with belief – something unseen in your heart and mind?
   Let’s consider. What happens when you believe Jesus’ teachings? What you think will increasingly become what you do. We return to the lesson on John 6:16-21. Jesus went to the disciples in the storm. What did they do? They acted into their belief to welcome Jesus into the boat. Then they gave up their terrified minds to receive the Lord’s peace.
   When Jesus comes to you, your work is to believe and confess, “It is Jesus, my Savior!” Your belief in his truth will truly renew and change your life if you begin to do as Jesus did. Doing your belief sound simple. Hear. Go. Do. Right? Not for our natural, sinful hearts. See how Jesus’ “students” that day said in effect, “We’re not doing this, Jesus.” Yes, they asked a good question. In a sense they welcomed him into their presence. But they did not invite the Lod God in completely. Their response reeked with sin’s deadly inaction and unbelief. Imagine, they implored Jesus to give them a sign just one day after the sign of feeding 5,000! They had followed him because of that sign, only to say, “Show us a sign that we might believe.” What more did they want?
   How often we respond the same. The Lord says, “This is what you do: Believe me.” His creation says, “First, what will you do, God? Prove yourself!” Tragically, we say it again and again and again. “Heal my friend. Give me a job. Find me a wife. Give me what I want. You do it first, God. Then I’ll believe you.”
   Believe this: God is not on your wait staff. Yet, his love is great; he has done everything necessary for you to live an active life of doing your faith now and forevermore. Remember this is why Jesus said: John 12:46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. Do your belief. Get out of the darkness. Live in the Light.
 
Prayer: Thank you, Jesus for doing your work on the cross, so I would follow the signs of life into your presence forevermore. Amen.