A Sign from Heaven

Do you need a sign from heaven?

The idea of a sign from God to give us direction or make a decision is hardly an old one. The Bible gives us examples of signs – sometimes encouraging them, sometimes commanding them and sometimes forbidding them! What sense can we make of all that?

In times of uncertainty and when we are faced with a big decision, it would be nice to know exactly what’s next and only God can give that certainty.

Biblical examples

God called Gideon to raise and army and defeat their oppressors – the Midianites. You can read the whole story in Judges 6-8. Gideon was not a warrior and lived in fear so he ‘put out the fleece’ asking for a sign. In fact, once God confirmed the call, Gideon repeated the request and once again God confirmed the call.

God honored Gideon’s request for a sign. It was probably the only way that he could convince Gideon that he had a job to do to protect the ancient Israelite nation.

Much later during the reign of King Ahaz, Isaiah instructed him to ask God for a sign. Ahaz responded that he would not ask because he didn’t want to put Jehovah to the test. Isaiah then declared the word of the Lord, reproving Ahaz and providing for himself a sign for the King and his people. This account is in Isaiah 7.

Finally, the Pharisees confronted Jesus, asking for a sign (Matthew 8:11-13). Jesus was exasperated by this request and told them that they would receive no sign.

These are three examples of how appropriate it is to ask for a sign. Confused yet?

What about now?

Reading scripture is the best way to know the will of God. But when we see these and many other instances of signs appearing in the Bible, it is hard to know what to do. Do we seek a sign from heaven, or not?

We’ll start here: should you always seek a sign from heaven? The easy answer: no. We have the indwelling Holy Spirit and he guides us. Furthermore, we have the Bible that gives us firm guidance on many things. We should never seek a sign when the answer is always clearly given.

What about at other times? So many of our experiences and questions and decisions in life are not specifically addressed in God’s word. In these cases, we look to the principles outlined in his word. For example, the great commandment tells us to love God and our neighbor. If one option or course of action would tend to violate the great commandment, it becomes more clear what we should do.

It is important to note that the giving of signs or the withholding of signs in the Bible is always about kingdom matters. Signs were given to confirm God’s will or announce his plans or demonstrate his power. This needs to inform our decision making, too.

Asking for a sign about what job to take, what school to attend or where to eat lunch is something I would hesitate to recommend. Generally, God can use you in any of these situations no matter what you decide. That doesn’t mean we can be careless and thoughtless about these things. It does mean that we don’t have to anguish over them.

A sign from heaven

We live in a world of uncertainty. We live by faith. That means we pray and ask God for direction; we follow his word and make decisions based on our own level of spiritual maturity. Sometimes we get it wrong but God can redeem even those times. As we grow, we will get it right more and more often.

When the decision is important, when it concerns our direct involvement in the kingdom of God and when the way seems murkier than ever, I might ask for a sign from heaven. I want to make sure I am always obedient to the will of God. The sign I ask for may never appear and the decision may still demand my attention. So, I will continue by faith, trusting God that my prayerful and careful decision will be in his will.

Have you ever asked for a sign from heaven?

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