Where's The Beef?

Back in the 80's the hamburger chain Wendy's , ran a commercial that became a huge hit . Basically it had to do with who had the real big "beef"  hamburger , and was aimed at its competitors . It scored huge and if the term viral existed back in the day , that would have been the right word.

It was more or less show me and I will believe what you say. If you say we have a bigger burger or more beef , than prove it. Show me the proof.

We are a people who want to see the proof . The old saying seeing is believing . How often have you heard this saying when it comes to God . If  God would just show me a miracle or get me out of this ,I will believe. They will cry  out in time of need , oh Jesus please if you will help me , heal me etc.. I will follow you or believe in you . In other words , show me the beef!

But in reality this is not true . Even if one is delivered  or showed mercy , we want the benefits without the worship or devotion . Time and time again God showed His power and mercy to a stiff necked people , and over and over again they still turned away but a few.

In Jesus ministry the crowds thronged out to see Him , but when the going got tough and the masses where not getting their felt needs met anymore , they bailed . Even when he performed a miracle , it didn't make people  jump on the Jesus train.

In Luke 17:11-19 , 10 lepers are crying out as Jesus passes by. No doubt by this time Jesus healing abilities have been circulating for  a while , so they cry out in a loud voice , Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. Lepers of course were considered unclean and it was a very painful disease. Leaving one an outcast . Jesus , has compassion on them , tells them to go show themselves to the temple Priest , and when they do , they are all healed.  So what happens , they all come running back to Jesus and fall to their knees in thanksgiving and worship. Right? Only one returns , a Samaritan at that , who were considered irreligious to the Jews.

One out of ten. So they saw firsthand the healing power of Jesus , but 9 did not return to give Him thanks . You would think that they all would have come running back , for being healed of leprosy meant entrance back into society , free from pain and being unclean for the rest of your life. No seeing  doesn't mean one will believe. The 9 are much like most of us . We want the benefits of there being a God , to cry out when things are bad . Others will say stuff like , if so and so would see a miracle they would know there is a God . That simply is not true. For in reality we want no part of God .We don't want Jesus .

So why did the Samaritan return with a heart of worship and thankfulness ? The healing was not just physical it appears to have been spiritual as well.When Jesus tells the Samaritan that his faith has made him well ,it indicates a heart that has been changed as well. That is the bigger miracle.

It wasn't that he was healed he came running back . His heart that was dead in sin , was opened to see Jesus for who He is. The healer of souls.

We need a miracle to believe but its not seeing , its inward . We have so much evidence for God that when someone uses the argument they would believe and follow if they saw clearly is a fallacy . In truth they are without excuse. From creation ,to the word of God its right in front of them ,of us . But we hate God . So we use that excuse to run.

So if someone ever says , show me the beef , instead of going toe to toe with evidence , even though that can be useful at times , share the gospel of Christ. Remember they can't see God because they are dead men walking. Share the light of Jesus and pray the Holy Spirit we make them see .