Scripture: And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. John 20:30-31
Observation: The gospel was written for this reason - that we may know and believe in Jesus. Thomas, one of the 12, did not believe in Christ's resurrections without seeing Jesus and touching his wounds. For everyone else over almost 2,000 years, we have had to believe based on written words passed down by a handful of men.
They were convinced so thoroughly that their believe still reverberates. It is their words but also their deeds - about 100 of them who would be witnesses and agree to bitter lives and painful deaths rather than denouncing their belief - that pass along the belief. However, it is also our own experience with Jesus ... the seeing of Jesus ourselves ... that gives us faith.
Application: I continue to grow in my experience with Jesus, and God, and the Holy Spirit. I am an aging man, and I am in infant all at once. I believe things in faith, but then I experience the presence of the Lord and discover new life all over again.
The Lord has chosen to bless me recently, not with anything earthly of wealth or comfort, but with his words and guidance. I will lean into this with prayer and worship, in my heart and from my mouth. I actively desire the presence of Jesus, whom I know to be the Christ, the Son of God, for I have not only read the words but also experienced his presence and thus believe I have life in his name.
Prayer: Lord, my Lord and God and father and savior, may I have your guiding Spirit again this day and every day. Please fill me with joy, peace, patience, and self control. I fully seek and agree to a different life in all things. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment