How many miracles does it take?

This past week a group of us from the church cleared out the church sand volleyball pit to prepare for a youth cookout and volleyball game. It was great to see so many there pitching in as we cleared the weeds and set up the net. It took 4 of us to set the net up and it took about 2 - 3 hours to do so. There were no directions, the cord was bunched up inside the netting and we had never put a net of this type together. The joke was how many people does it take to set up a volleyball net. We finally got it up and it even stayed up overnight and during the games as well. We accomplished our task and the teens had a great time. There are times it takes a lot of people to accomplish a task. There are also times that we require many different demonstrations before we will actually believe something to be true. The religious leaders in Mark 8:1-21 revealed a tendency that we too often emulate in our own lives. Jesus had performed the miracle of feeding the 4000 when the religious leaders tracked Him down and asked Him, what miracle will you perform so that we can believe in you? Jesus knew their hearts and that they would never believe so He refused to give them a sign. I was thinking in my head, why didn't he just zap them with leprosy, then they might believe. But thank goodness Jesus does not operate that way. They had seen Him perform miracle after miracle and had heard of numerous others and they still refused to believe. They never would and Jesus knew their hearts were evil and full of contempt for Him. Jesus took this opportunity to teach His disciples a valuable lesson. He basically told them to not allow doubt and unbelief to creep into their lives because it will begin to impact everything they do. It would be like a little yeast in bread. He told them that they had not only witnessed two miracles but were participants in two of them. They had all they needed to believe in Him. Jesus wanted people to believe in Him because of the truth He taught, not because of the miracles He performed. Yet I think many times we are the same way. We want one more demonstration of power before we will believe. We want one more answer to our prayers before we will really step out on faith and live the life God has called us to live. We would love it if God would do one more thing to prove to us that He is in control. And the question I keep asking is "how many miracles does it take?" When will we decide to just take God at His word and be obedient to what He has told us to do without Him performing some miracle to assure us? Perhaps the miracle that God performs is getting us just to step out on faith without any verification from Him. It could be that God is wanting to perform a miracle in someones life by using us to minister to that person. I guess the point that needs to be made is that if we keep waiting for some miraculous sign from God that He is with us, then we may never venture to do anything for Him. I think this fact is too evident in far too many of us. I don't want to live my life waiting for some miraculous sign from God. I know that I would never be content with one, I would always want another. I think instead I will just try to serve Him the best I can and if a miracle happens, I will rejoice and give Him praise. I learned a long time ago that God will never do by a miracle what we are to do by obedience. The greatest miracle has already been done. Jesus Christ has risen from the dead and He is alive in heaven right now. How many more miracles do you need before you will believe? Trust Him and step out on faith and you will see God do great things.