GDLC Audio

We are people of faith. We trust that God exists. We trust that Jesus died and rose for us. We trust, we live in faith, every single day. For a long time therefore, the Church berated and shunned those who doubted. They were called, from our story in John today, “Doubting Thomases” and thought to be less than the best Christian. Amazingly however, Jesus doesn’t act like us! Oh…that’s not amazing is it? He always shows us the way and in this instance He reminds us that while He knew all about Thomas’s doubting and unbelief, He came for Him, not once, but twice. He knew and yet He spoke “peace”. He knew and yet He did what He needed to do to bring faith into the heart of Thomas and perhaps, make him even stronger than he was before. And so He does with us…but so He also does through us to others! Thank you Jesus for coming to us in our doubt!

We are people of faith. We trust that God exists. We trust that Jesus died and rose for us. We trust, we live in faith, every single day. For a long time therefore, the Church berated and shunned those who doubted. They were called, from our story in John today, “Doubting Thomases” and thought to be less than the best Christian. Amazingly however, Jesus doesn’t act like us! Oh…that’s not amazing is it? He always shows us the way and in this instance He reminds us that while He knew all about Thomas’s doubting and unbelief, He came for Him, not once, but twice. He knew and yet He spoke “peace”. He knew and yet He did what He needed to do to bring faith into the heart of Thomas and perhaps, make him even stronger than he was before. And so He does with us…but so He also does through us to others! Thank you Jesus for coming to us in our doubt!

Live long enough and you’ll be afraid of the “things” of this life! All of us experience fear during the course of our lives, but sometimes circumstances can seem overwhelming and it can seem as if God is absent, God is gone, or worse…God is dead! That’s how Mary felt here. Her Lord was not only dead but He was also gone! What would her future look like now? How would she live on after three years invested in service in and through Jesus? And then Jesus shows up! He didn’t have to. He could have waited till Mary was with the rest of the disciples but nope, Jesus met her in her fear (and grief). He came to her when she needed Him most…and so it is with us. As Psalm 23 says it, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil”…and why? “Because you are with me” David writes. Jesus meets us, comes to us, and thankfully He does so even in our fear!

Live long enough and you’ll be afraid of the “things” of this life! All of us experience fear during the course of our lives, but sometimes circumstances can seem overwhelming and it can seem as if God is absent, God is gone, or worse…God is dead! That’s how Mary felt here. Her Lord was not only dead but He was also gone! What would her future look like now? How would she live on after three years invested in service in and through Jesus? And then Jesus shows up! He didn’t have to. He could have waited till Mary was with the rest of the disciples but nope, Jesus met her in her fear (and grief). He came to her when she needed Him most…and so it is with us. As Psalm 23 says it, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil”…and why? “Because you are with me” David writes. Jesus meets us, comes to us, and thankfully He does so even in our fear!