Then they said to Him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him who He has sent.”
John 6: 28-29
When I think of doing “the works of God,” my first thought is of being a good person, reading my Bible, helping others, or going to church regularly. The work of churches and ministries comes to mind, such as teaching believers, helping those in need, and reaching out to unbelievers to share the truth of the Gospel.
I suspect this is the kind of work the disciples had in mind when they presented their question to Jesus. They were excited about what they were experiencing and ready to get active and do something for God.
But Jesus wanted them to put their efforts in a completely different place. He wanted them to focus on believing everything He had to say to them. He was exposing them to His Kingdom, the one that you cannot see with your natural eyes, so it was imperative that they follow His words. Furthermore, since Jesus was counter-culture, He was saying some things that were really tough to believe.
I know we all have a deep desire to do works that are pleasing to our Lord. But Jesus has made it clear that the more important “work” is to keep your eyes on Him, listening intently to what He has to say. If we do not, all of our other works will be merely human efforts.
Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Psalms 127:1
Time is too precious for any of my labor to be in vain! I want to listen to every word that proceeds out of Jesus’ mouth, and make sure I am walking in faith with all unbelief kicked out the door of my life! Whether easy to believe or extremely difficult, I will listen and do the “work” it takes to be sure I am believing it all – not just with my head, but with my inner being. This is Kingdom Purpose!
Scripture of the week is designed to assist you in renewing your mind through the Word of God. We choose a scripture and include a short message pertaining to the verses so that you can meditate on them for the week. Please do not read it once and move on. Print it out and read it over and over during the week so that your mind can be reprogrammed (Romans 12:2) in the supernatural Word of God!
Other scripture commentaries by Marjorie Lou:
Ephesians 1: 18-20 – Do you know the immeasurable greatness of God’s power?
James 1: 2-4 – Steps to rejoicing in your trials
Matthew 14: 28-31 – Jesus is not the only one who walked on water!
Romans 10: 9 – Is Jesus a true master?
John 13:34-35 – Do you have this mark of a true believer?
