Amazed when Jesus had fed five-thousand men—let alone how many more women and children—the people exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!” When Jesus realized that they wanted to declare Him as their king, He quietly slipped away. He knew it was the miraculous sign of multiplying the loaves and fishes that made the people want to proclaim allegiance to Him. For the wrong reason, they desired Him.
The next day the crowd, realizing that Jesus had gone, got into boats and went to Capernaum to look for Him. They found Him on the other side of the lake and wanted to know when He had arrived there.
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.” (John 6:26-27, NLT)
The people had not really understood what He had done for them by multiplying the loaves and fishes. The outer man had been drawn by what they had seen—the inner man had been left unchanged by what they had experienced. He told them not to be concerned about things that perished like food. But to seek the eternal life that He alone could give them—to find the essential difference that He alone could make.
They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?” (John 6:28, NLT)
Still, they didn't understand what He had told them. Pride claimed their hearts
Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” (John 6:29, NLT)
How often do we, like this crowd, make what Jesus explains difficult? How often do we focus on the outer miracle without considering the more important miracle of a changed heart? We work to perform God’s work. We hope we are good enough to please Him. We strive to be good enough to receive His approval and don’t understand that we have already received His approval at Calvary. What He did was finished there. All He desires is our heart’s allegiance. Not allegiance to what is here today and gone tomorrow, but loyalty to believe that He is the one God sent to change our hearts.
What does He say to you? Exactly what He told the crowd that day. Just believe. Believe in His love, and allow it to melt and mold your heart. There is nothing you do to earn His approval. After all, He has the Father’s seal of approval. And by His love on Calvary, you now have His.
© 2018 Lynn Lacher
www.lynnlacher.com/2018/12/believe.html