The Holy One calls to me this morning. The annual celebration of the powerful event in history that is the foundation of our Faith in Christ has passed. The day we celebrate in remembrance of the Resurrection of the Lord, Jesus Christ is gone for another year.
I was reminded by the Holy One that Jesus hung around in His glorified body for "forty days" and was seen by many to give evidence of His resurrection to the Disciples who knew Him.
Acts 1:3, "After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave them convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of 40 days and spoke of the Kingdom of God".
While the personal stories may vary, each one of us has (or needs to have) one that relates to the first time we really "see" the Lord for Who He is. Today, the Holy One takes me to the disciple named Thomas and his interesting story of that day in his life. The day he "saw" the Resurrected Christ.
John conveys the account in His Gospel record, and how the disciple came to have the nick name of "doubting Thomas" in John 20:24-29. We can join in with the crowd that has looked down on Thomas until we admit that all of us have had our doubts about God.
In reading the Biblical account of the resurrection, others told Thomas that they had "seen" the Lord. They told him of their personal encounter and testimony, but Thomas wasn't buying it. In fact, he told everyone that, despite knowing Jesus the man, and having heard His words about His death and resurrection, he would not believe in Jesus as God unless and until he put his hands in the nail holes of His crucified body.
What Thomas was desperately needing was a personal encounter with the living and resurrected Messiah. I think that sometimes the real importance of this story gets lost in the judgment of Thomas' doubt.
For me, the really awesome point of this account is that Jesus met him in his doubt. I believe the Lord's response and why it was recorded was so that we could read about Thomas' wrestle. In the deepest places of our heart's desire to truly know the Lord, we simply are not satisfied with someone else's testimony.
The Holy Spirit speaks encouragement to my heart today, "Keep praying for manifestations of my Presence for I will surely appear". Could it be that the Lord wants to use our doubts to open the door to a more personal encounter with Himself?
Scripture says in John 20:24, "now Thomas, (called Didymus) one of the 12 was not with the other disciples when Jesus came, so the other disciples told him, "we have seen the Lord".
I cannot even begin to imagine the sorrow in Thomas' heart that he missed the most amazing moment in history. Jesus made an appearance post death and Thomas was not there to witness it. He was not present with "the others". Was it extreme self-disappointment and faux pride that said, 'unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my hand into his side, I will not believe"?
I would be saying "poor Thomas" if I haven't been in that place myself, listening to someone else's testimony without my own.
But what happens next in this epic story is nothing short of a personal love relationship forged forever in the furnace of desire. Thomas has a personal criteria in order for him to believe in the resurrected Savior. Thomas declared it, God heard it and Jesus met it.
"A week later His disciples were in the house again and through the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you". Then He said to Thomas, "put your fingers here: see My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into , my side. Stop doubting and believe." Thomas said to Him, "My Lord and my God" Then Jesus told him, "because you have seen me, you have believed: blessed are those who have not seen and yet have have believed".
Personal relationships involve personal encounters. Should we expect anything less in our personal relationship with our Savior and Lord? The wonder of Thomas' story is that Jesus met him where he was in his doubt. And that is our hope and assurance: that Jesus will do the same for us.
The world turns, life spins out of our control, doubts arise and failures in faith happen, but through it all we can be assured that Jesus IS here and ready to provide the convincing proofs of His resurrection life, not if, but when we need them.
Sanctification is a process. Faithfulness is a fruit and the evidence of the Holy Spirit of Jesus within each one of us. It is a quality of a life that bares His fruit. I am having to re-think my judgement of Thomas and his stated criteria for belief.
For Thomas who knew the "man" Jesus, to see the body that was pieced was not a "fleece" but a foundation. In that moment when his hand touched the place of those mortal wounds, Thomas moved beyond any and all doubt that Jesus is God.
What is the equivalent of Thomas' criteria in our lives today? What would it take for us to move beyond all doubt that Jesus is Who He said He is and Trust Him as our Savior and Lord? If Jesus was willing to appear and show Thomas what he needed to see, He will do the same for all who truly want to believe.
The Holy Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?
I was reminded by the Holy One that Jesus hung around in His glorified body for "forty days" and was seen by many to give evidence of His resurrection to the Disciples who knew Him.
Acts 1:3, "After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave them convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of 40 days and spoke of the Kingdom of God".
While the personal stories may vary, each one of us has (or needs to have) one that relates to the first time we really "see" the Lord for Who He is. Today, the Holy One takes me to the disciple named Thomas and his interesting story of that day in his life. The day he "saw" the Resurrected Christ.
John conveys the account in His Gospel record, and how the disciple came to have the nick name of "doubting Thomas" in John 20:24-29. We can join in with the crowd that has looked down on Thomas until we admit that all of us have had our doubts about God.
In reading the Biblical account of the resurrection, others told Thomas that they had "seen" the Lord. They told him of their personal encounter and testimony, but Thomas wasn't buying it. In fact, he told everyone that, despite knowing Jesus the man, and having heard His words about His death and resurrection, he would not believe in Jesus as God unless and until he put his hands in the nail holes of His crucified body.
What Thomas was desperately needing was a personal encounter with the living and resurrected Messiah. I think that sometimes the real importance of this story gets lost in the judgment of Thomas' doubt.
For me, the really awesome point of this account is that Jesus met him in his doubt. I believe the Lord's response and why it was recorded was so that we could read about Thomas' wrestle. In the deepest places of our heart's desire to truly know the Lord, we simply are not satisfied with someone else's testimony.
The Holy Spirit speaks encouragement to my heart today, "Keep praying for manifestations of my Presence for I will surely appear". Could it be that the Lord wants to use our doubts to open the door to a more personal encounter with Himself?
Scripture says in John 20:24, "now Thomas, (called Didymus) one of the 12 was not with the other disciples when Jesus came, so the other disciples told him, "we have seen the Lord".
I cannot even begin to imagine the sorrow in Thomas' heart that he missed the most amazing moment in history. Jesus made an appearance post death and Thomas was not there to witness it. He was not present with "the others". Was it extreme self-disappointment and faux pride that said, 'unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my hand into his side, I will not believe"?
I would be saying "poor Thomas" if I haven't been in that place myself, listening to someone else's testimony without my own.
But what happens next in this epic story is nothing short of a personal love relationship forged forever in the furnace of desire. Thomas has a personal criteria in order for him to believe in the resurrected Savior. Thomas declared it, God heard it and Jesus met it.
"A week later His disciples were in the house again and through the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you". Then He said to Thomas, "put your fingers here: see My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into , my side. Stop doubting and believe." Thomas said to Him, "My Lord and my God" Then Jesus told him, "because you have seen me, you have believed: blessed are those who have not seen and yet have have believed".
Personal relationships involve personal encounters. Should we expect anything less in our personal relationship with our Savior and Lord? The wonder of Thomas' story is that Jesus met him where he was in his doubt. And that is our hope and assurance: that Jesus will do the same for us.
The world turns, life spins out of our control, doubts arise and failures in faith happen, but through it all we can be assured that Jesus IS here and ready to provide the convincing proofs of His resurrection life, not if, but when we need them.
Sanctification is a process. Faithfulness is a fruit and the evidence of the Holy Spirit of Jesus within each one of us. It is a quality of a life that bares His fruit. I am having to re-think my judgement of Thomas and his stated criteria for belief.
For Thomas who knew the "man" Jesus, to see the body that was pieced was not a "fleece" but a foundation. In that moment when his hand touched the place of those mortal wounds, Thomas moved beyond any and all doubt that Jesus is God.
What is the equivalent of Thomas' criteria in our lives today? What would it take for us to move beyond all doubt that Jesus is Who He said He is and Trust Him as our Savior and Lord? If Jesus was willing to appear and show Thomas what he needed to see, He will do the same for all who truly want to believe.
The Holy Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?
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