Daily Reflections ...

What is so ‘evil’ about asking for a sign? Surely, the people who have asked this of Jesus are simply seeking reassurance. What is so wrong with that? After all, if we are going to commit ourselves to something, we need guarantees that everything is going to be alright. We want proof. So, what is Jesus’ problem?

Jesus is pushing back against their failure to recognise what God has always been doing. Those whose hearts are open to God do not need further signs, for they have already seen. Those whose hearts are closed to God will not see even if Jesus were to provide them with yet another sign. So, he directs them to two signs they failed to take seriously: the pilgrimage of the Queen of the South to visit Solomon and the mission of the prophet Jonah.

The Queen of the South represents all those who actively look for God. She is not content with not knowing God, so she undertakes a search. Jonah was an ordinary man with an extraordinary mission. He was a reluctant starter who, despite his faith in God, resisted him for as long as he could. Jonah could not see the point of what God was asking of him. Yet, despite Jonah’s reluctance, God can work through him. Jonah is a sign of God’s patience and relentless focus on achieving his plan.

Nothing is occurring in your life right now that is of no consequence. In this, we must take heart: the experience of Jonah reminds us that even our apparent failure is not enough to thwart God’s plan in the lives of those who love him.

by Shane Dwyer