Brother in Christ

Miracles are incredibly powerful. A miracle can help deepen our faith in Christ and they can even help who do not know Christ to encounter Him. I believe most of us can name a miracle we know of or have heard of and the impact it has had on our faith journey. Despite the impact that a miracle can have, it is often a fleeting effect that can bring us closer to Christ but cannot sustain that relationship.

In the Bible, there are only 2 miracles which appear in all 4 of the Gospels. One of them is the resurrection of Christ, and the other is the multiplication of loaves. While these moments had profound impact, the multiplication of loaves can provide us with a strong understanding of how our faith needs to be well rooted in Christ and not in the miracles we see and hear.

In the Gospel of John, we read that Jesus sees a large crowd and starts to feed thousands of people. Jesus was able to perform such a powerful miracle that He fed thousands of people with just 5 loaves and 2 fishes.

Despite seeing the miracle, the next day the crowd tries to find Jesus and is asking where He went and Jesus answers them and says, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled” (Jn 6:26). The same people who witnessed the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 only sought Jesus because they were fed, not because of who He was.

We can learn from this in our own lives. Why are we seeking Christ? Is it because of the miracles He performs? Or are we seeking Him because we want to know Him better, to become more Christ-like by following Him and seeking truth?

We all can benefit from miracles and the impact they can have on our lives, but our faith in Christ must be rooted in something deeper. Do not be like the crowd who sought Jesus because they were fed. Be like the disciples who followed Jesus because “You have the words of eternal life” (Jn 6:68).

Sincerely,

Your Brother in Christ