Are You Looking for a Sign?

Many people today seek a sign from God. So much so, that it seems people are willing to see signs in every cloud formation and any out of the normal occurrence. This is not a healthy place to be when you are so consumed by signs that you will see one where one may not exist.

The other day, after the tragic tornadoes in the American South, I came across a post on social media that showed a church which had been damaged by the tornado. Half the roof was missing, but the bibles were still neatly in the pews. It was a sign that God was with them. But what if the bibles had not been in the pews? Would that have been a sign that God had abandoned them? Clearly not, since God never abandons His people. The problem isn’t whether God is with us in tragedy. The problem is why are we so dependent upon signs from God. Why do we need them so much?

At that time, the Pharisees came to Jesus and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.” And he left them, and getting into the boat again he departed to the other side. Now they had forgotten to bring bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” And they discussed it with one another, saying, “We have no bread.” And being aware of it, Jesus said to them, “Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?” – Mark 8.11-21

We may not like to hear it, but I believe the preoccupation with signs is based on our selfish need to always get what we want. In today’s reading above, the Pharisees were seeking a sign to test God, as if God were not real if the signs were not present. In their selfishness, they were left without a sign, yet that didn’t mean God did not love them, and the lack of a sign could never mean that God doesn’t love us. To prove the point of God’s constant presence, the story continues in showing even the disciples who witnessed many signs from Christ, didn’t understand His love for them. They had signs and it didn’t do any good, so why look for signs?

If seeing a cloud makes you think about God, then may it be blessed, but you shouldn’t confuse it with a sign from Him. It often really is just a cloud. I might even suggest that if you see signs in clouds, your faith is probably already strong enough that you don’t need a sign from God. Find comfort in that, and don’t be led astray by “the leaven of the Pharisees.”

There are only eleven more days until we celebrate the glorious birth of Christ. Focus on the truth that you already know, and stop wasting time on the signs that you don’t know. There is enough in the Feast of the Nativity to lead you to Heaven. There was already a Star, but that was for another time. We have the Gospel and the Church as our guide. We don’t need a star.