August 9, 2023

John 6: 43 “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. (NIV)

With all the resources in the world, I can’t Google what God thinks.*

Sometimes Jesus had to interrupt his important and urgent message to deliver a sermon on common sense. In this instance, he had just declared that he was the bread of life and that he had come down from heaven. His audience, not surprisingly, didn’t understand what he was talking about. But what did they do about it? They asked each other, “What’s he talking about?” And Jesus very subtly makes a point: if you want to know something, don’t ask someone else who doesn’t know what you don’t know. Stop grumbling among yourselves in ignorance, he implies. Just ask me.

If we want to know Jesus – and about Jesus – we have to go directly to the source. It is often helpful to use another believer as a resource, but people let us down. We can’t rely on another person’s knowledge, experience, or insight to be our infallible guide. Only by getting into God’s word for yourself can you know what his will is for your life. Open your Bible prayerfully, seeking the Holy Spirit’s counsel. If you want to know something, just ask. Everything you need to know will be revealed to you.

Is there any kind of need in which God is not superior to any alternate source we could seek out to provide help?*