Believing

Lent is over. Holy Week has come and gone. From Passover to Penteost is fifty days. Pente is the Latin delineator for five – pentagram, Pentateuch, pentagram, etc.

There’s a lot of time to consider whether we really believe in what happened or not and how that changes our lives. They say Missouri is the “Show Me” state. Maybe Thomas was from there, because when the resurrected Jesus appeared to the disciples for the first time in the upper room, Thomas didn’t even bother to show up. When people told him about Jesus’ appearance, he refused their testimonies saying, “Unless I put my finger in the holes in his hands and my hand in his side, I WILL NOT believe.” (What a choice!) 

Christ appeared to the disciples the second time in the upper room and Thomas mustered enough faith to at least show up. Jesus invited Thomas to put his finger in the holes in his hands and his hand into Jesus’ side where the soldier thrust his spear to assure himself Jesus was indeed risen from the dead (John 20). It was prophesied by Zechariah in chapter 12 verse 10 that when Jesus returns, “the Jews will look upon Christ whom they pierced, and shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” The demanded, “Show me,” will be revealed in the definitive marks in the resurrected body of Christ.

But all of us have some of that “show me” attitude. Peter saw Jesus walking to the boat the disciples were in and called to him, “if it is you, command me to come to you walking on the water.” Jesus replied, “Come,” and he walked to Jesus on the water just as Jesus had done.

The devil started that show me attitude in the garden with Adam and Eve and continued with Jesus in the wilderness temptation. (He cast doubt saying,) If you are the son of God, show me by making stones bread, by falling down to worship me so I will reward you with all the kingdoms of the world, jump down from the pinnacle of the temple so your daddy will bear you up on angels’ wings so you won’t get hurt by the fall. (Matthew 4, Luke 4)

After death, Lazarus reclined in the bosom of Abraham. Across a chasm, the rich man suffered in the flames of hell. The rich man begged for someone to testify to his brothers so they wouldn’t end up where he was. When refused, Abraham told him even if someone were to die, come here and be resurrected, his brothers wouldn’t believe their report. They don’t believe the testimony of Moses and the prophets, they won’t believe anyone else. (Luke 16:19 – 31)

John the apostle chose certain stories for inclusion in his gospel. The express purpose of their selection was to convince people of Jesus’ title and lineage. And believing, they might have life in His Name. (John 20:31)

Mark 11:23 Jesus taught to move mountains, one must not “doubt in his heart but believe what is spoken will come to pass.”

Where do we stand? Are our hearts and minds divided? Do we believe the testimony of scripture? Or do we waver? When we ask God for something, do we ask in faith without wavering? (James 1:5-6) Someone whose heart wavers is double-minded and unstable in all his ways and ought not to think he will receive anything from the Lord. 

Jesus does not want us to be faithless but believing. (John 20:27)