What will it take?

(John 12:37-46)
As we brave the malls or search online for that perfect gift, we're often apprehensive. Will the recipient like the gift? Will the product accomplish what the advertisement claims? Often we want to touch it or experience it to make sure.

We often are the same way about our faith. Yet, many times in scripture we're shown that by it's very definition, faith is the result of a condition of the heart, not a result of our experiences. As Jesus neared the end of his ministry, he had accomplished many miracles. Throngs of people followed him to see and experience the miracles. Sadly, for many, the experience wasn't fulfilling and didn't lead to a change in the heart. Even after many had witnessed a dead man's resurrection (Lazarus), they did not believe.

(37) Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.

Why? While experiences sometimes help to confirm our faith, faith has to originate out of an outcropping of a changed heart. And, only God can change our heart:

(38) This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: "Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" (39) For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: (40) "He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them."

Previously, in this chapter, Christ communicates that he will draw us to him. His miracles didn't do it. Our experiences won't do it. Even after we're drawn to him, our perspective sometimes confuses us and we miss him. We may be concerned about what others think of us:

(42) ... they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue;(43) for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.

How tragic that we'd miss the most important relationship out of fear of where we stand among others. Or, maybe we're addicted to our experiences and we don't want to give up those. Or, maybe we value our possessions too much. Our perspective is clouded by our limited view. God's desire is for us to be able to "see." Let it be our prayer that God will reveal himself to us, that he will change our heart so that we will be able to see him, to desire to know him, and to have him permeate all that we are, all that we say, and all that we do.