When is Jesus coming back? Will the world end in 2012 (and if not, when)? Are natural disasters, acts of war, and other unpleasant news events divine signs that the Second Coming is around the corner?

Almost everyone wonders about these things from time to time; it seems a natural human instinct to look at the world around us in search of signs that point to God’s plan for humanity. But in the latest Slice of Infinity devotional, Margaret Manning reminds us that if we spend too much time obsessing over signs and predictions, we’re overlooking something vital:

In John chapter 6, a poignant and theologically rich section of the evangelist’s narrative, the multitudes come seeking a sign from Jesus. Many of these seekers have just been fed by Jesus in the feeding of the five thousand (see John 6:1-14). Still, they ask him, “What then do you do for a sign that we may see and believe you?” (John 6:20) Jesus answers them by saying that he is the bread of heaven. That is, in his very person life and sustenance reside! He is the sign from God! And yet the people do not believe him. They continue to seek for other signs and wonders. Even the religious leaders, themselves specialists in the interpretation of signs, grumble that Jesus claims to be the bread of heaven. Jesus rightly proclaims, “But I said to you, you have seen me, and yet do not believe” (John 6:36).

What are the signs that you seek? We rightly ask in the season of Epiphany and in light of John’s sign-filled narrative: What is the point of a sign if it does not inspire belief? That is to say, what is the point of a sign if it does not instill faith as opposed to fear, belief and hope rather than dread or simple wonder? In this sense, the signs of Christ himself intend to bring us further into the unique life of Christ. Thus we need not become fixated with the signs themselves, failing to see the forest through the trees. Seeking after the signs of God’s presence among us and God’s purpose for our lives, we must not miss Jesus in the process. He is both sign and sustenance, wonder and life itself.

Read the full devotional at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

Do you eagerly anticipate Christ’s return, and watch carefully for signs that his return might be near? That’s wonderful—Scripture commands us to be ready for Christ’s return. But if the search for signs and symbols distracts us from Jesus himself, we’re missing the point!

By: Andy. This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 13th, 2010 at 9:53 am and is filed under Devotional, News & World Events, prophecy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.