No Signs, Just Believe

Trespassers. When I see one, I wonder why they feel entitled to intrude on or care less about another's property.  I've been pretty lenient with the kids in my neighborhood walking through my back yard to get to the manmade lake in the development adjacent to my house.  A few months ago I began noticing a large gap amongst the trees and plants develop toward the back of the yard.  I didn't think much about it assuming the hole was created by the guys who came to tame my yard. One day I was sitting on the patio with my daughter and her husband enjoying a cool breeze on a Florida afternoon when we began to hear young giggling voices approaching.  There were about five pre-teen girls from the neighborhood casually walking through my backyard, heading close to this "gap." They didn't see us on the porch until I said hi to them.  They stopped dead in their tracks.  I asked if they had created the pathway in the trees and the oldest of the bunch said no. The next words out of her mouth placed the potential blame on a wild pig for the five foot hole.  Hmmm.  So I asked them to not come through my back yard anymore or go near the hole as I wouldn't want them to get hurt by a wild pig.  After several more signs of them accessing the passageway, I went straight to Home Depot and bought this sign:

Well, my sign worked as far as I know (in addition to barricading the hole with dwarf palms and fallen palm fronds!).  It took posting a sign to stop the trespassing when my original request should have sufficed. No signs, just believe. 

Todays Gospel (Matthew 12:38-42) reminds me when I stop looking for signs and focus on the here and now, I am giving Jesus the time He needs to answer my questions:

Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you." He said to them in reply, "An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.

In the July 2007 Monthly Message, Jesus clearly defines how we are to view a world rejecting God and all that is decent: 

“The signs of My presence are all around you, even though you struggle. Believe this. If you look at a person who has rejected Me, you will see signs of that rejection. If you look at a world that has rejected Me, you will also see signs. My beloved ones, when you see signs that God has been rejected, you must remain peaceful. I, Jesus, have told you that change is necessary. I, Jesus, have told you that I desire change. I do not abandon you and I do not abandon the world. I have many friends in this world and you are among them. You trust Me, I know. I will honor the trust you have placed in Me. I will bring all things to the good, both in your life and in the world.”


Lay apostles, instead of asking Jesus for a sign, move confidently through your day knowing He is by your side at all times.  Just because you ask for something, doesn't mean you are ready to receive it. He knows you best, so trust His judgement.


Thank you, Lord, for showing me I don't need signs to believe in You.  


God bless,
Bonnie