Over the past couple days, some of my very close friends have encountered sorrowful situations. I will be the first to say that I don’t always understand what God is doing; to be totally honest, I hardly ever even know what He is doing! Even the God of Israel told Isaiah, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.” This past Sunday, I heard a good illustration that comforted me in the fact that I am not the only one who struggles with understanding God’s ways.
When you look at Jesus’ disciples, they were typically clueless to what the bigger plan to His actions were. When they would get frustrated, confused, or even completely deny they’re association with Jesus, they couldn't stay that way. They couldn't stand the idea of being separated from the presence of who Jesus is, so they always went back to Him. I am the same way when I begin to question God’s motives. After a while, I just run back to God because I can’t imagine how lonely and miserable life would be without Him.
Secularists proclaim that our faith is weak because we walk without seeing. They claim that God must be tangible, something that we must see before we can believe in it. My question for them is have you ever met someone who has genuinely has encountered Jesus? There are always distinct transformations that can be noticed by everyone around. I call that the miracle of life-change. Most people are looking for a Red Sea miracle to happen again or a talking donkey like the author of the Book of Numbers. The truth is, we are given sufficient evidence of the existence of Jesus in the way He transforms lives. Our hope comes through one thing that Jesus did that no other religion or god can offer, leave an empty grave where He once lay dead. If a man can predict His death AND resurrection and actually make it happen, I’m prone to believe everything else He has ever said and done.
Jesus tells Thomas, the one who struggles with this idea of whether the man standing right in front of him was the real Jesus, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” I can’t say that I have conquered this mind boggling phenomenon, but one thing I have learned is this journey of life is NOT about me! There is nothing I can do to please God or displease Him because His love for me is constant at all times thanks to what Christ Jesus has done. I can live a full life knowing that Jesus has a plan and purpose for EVERYTHING and is working all things to the good of those who love Him. It may sound cliché, but that is ultimately where my hope lies!
When you look at Jesus’ disciples, they were typically clueless to what the bigger plan to His actions were. When they would get frustrated, confused, or even completely deny they’re association with Jesus, they couldn't stay that way. They couldn't stand the idea of being separated from the presence of who Jesus is, so they always went back to Him. I am the same way when I begin to question God’s motives. After a while, I just run back to God because I can’t imagine how lonely and miserable life would be without Him.
Secularists proclaim that our faith is weak because we walk without seeing. They claim that God must be tangible, something that we must see before we can believe in it. My question for them is have you ever met someone who has genuinely has encountered Jesus? There are always distinct transformations that can be noticed by everyone around. I call that the miracle of life-change. Most people are looking for a Red Sea miracle to happen again or a talking donkey like the author of the Book of Numbers. The truth is, we are given sufficient evidence of the existence of Jesus in the way He transforms lives. Our hope comes through one thing that Jesus did that no other religion or god can offer, leave an empty grave where He once lay dead. If a man can predict His death AND resurrection and actually make it happen, I’m prone to believe everything else He has ever said and done.
Jesus tells Thomas, the one who struggles with this idea of whether the man standing right in front of him was the real Jesus, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” I can’t say that I have conquered this mind boggling phenomenon, but one thing I have learned is this journey of life is NOT about me! There is nothing I can do to please God or displease Him because His love for me is constant at all times thanks to what Christ Jesus has done. I can live a full life knowing that Jesus has a plan and purpose for EVERYTHING and is working all things to the good of those who love Him. It may sound cliché, but that is ultimately where my hope lies!