What Sign Then Will You Give?

It is a hard thing to do to put our lives and situations into the hands of another; for our CAP clients to share their debt problems (and often many other issues as well) with our debt coaches and visit team when they come into their homes and put their trust into the CAP process.

For those who encountered Jesus, it was hard for them to see who He really was, to only see Him in human, earthly terms and not be able to see beyond that. The five thousand were fed with just a few loaves and fish and they were determined to follow wherever Jesus went and make Him their king.

When He preached in the synagogue in Capurnaum, they asked for signs so that they may believe, seeing the loaves and fishes and the manna from heaven that helped the Jews across the desert to freedom as physical food.

John 6: 30 - 40 (NIV)

30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”

35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

Jesus was wholly human and wholly divine, but too often like those who encountered Him in Capurnaum, we perceive Him from our earthly viewpoint, going through our lives in our own strength and only turning to Him when our plans go wrong or asking for signs so that we might believe, rather than putting our whole lives and earthly plans into His heavenly hands.

When we go to God in prayer in times of trouble, we receive unconditional strength and love to help us get through but this is something that we can put in the centre of our whole lives when we accept the wholeness of Jesus, the bread that sustains all life.

Money Coaching

As well as the free debt help of the CAP Journey out of Debt, Ely and District CAP wants to help tackle financial worry and poverty in our community through Money Coaching, a free course that helps provide the skills and knowledge to help anyone better manage their budget and improve their financial stability.

The next course will run for two weeks in February - either two Wednesday evenings from 7.30pm on 18th and 25th February or two Saturday mornings from 10am on 21st and 28th February. Find out more about Money Coaching here

Directory Day

The team had a great day at the Community Directory Day at Ely Collage last Saturday and it was lovely to have so many volunteers helping out with the stall as well. It was fairly quiet in terms of members of the public, but there were two big halls full of stands from various local charities, organisations, societies and clubs so was a really valuable opportunity for networking and building links with other organisations.

Prayer

Please pray for all our CAP clients, especially those who find it hard to put their trust in the CAP team and invite them into their homes, that they would have the strength to invite them in to their lives.

Please pray for our debt coaches, John and Pat and for all the team that support them, that they would be strengthened to be ready to meet people in whatever situation they are in and to be ready and equipped to share the message of God's love with them.

Pray for the new Money Coaching Course and all the ways that Ely and District CAP wants to support those suffering with debt and poverty in our communities in the year ahead, pray for guidance and support as these ideas are developed.