And the word became flesh and tabernacles among us, and we gaze at His glory, a glory as of an only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Johns Account 1: 14, Concordant New Testament
The joke is that a man is talking to his friend about religion. At some point, his friend claims that there is no God because bad things continue to happen to good people. Seeing his opportunity, the man looks around and sees a homeless man on a bench not far away. The two walk over to the homeless man and take him to a local barber shop. As they enter the barber shop the man suddenly claims that there are no barbers in the world. Annoyed, the barber disagrees with him. "How can there be barbers in the world when this man looks so dingy?" 'Sir,' the barber explains, 'This man has never stepped into my shop before.' No matter where you are on the question of God, you cannot deny His presence in the universe. The universe is far to intricate of a creation for it to have formed so randomly. Yet, there continue to be those who will deny the existence of the Lord. So, let me pose another question, have you ever met Jesus? Well, perhaps you need a meeting with Him. Many people would refuse to ignore someone only based on what they hear others say about that person. Yet, it happens all the time when we talk about Jesus. Bad things happen to those we see as good people, so we assume that there must be no God, right? That's a good story if you can sell it. But I know better. I've been there. I've questioned God and why He does what He does. In 2016, my mother passed away after a long illness. Of course, I was distraught over this. My mom was a good, Godly woman, yet God took her from me. My mom made it a practice to pray and commune with the Lord each day, yet God took her home. So I, in my wisdom and grief, asked God why He had done such a thing. It took awhile for the revelation to hit me, but when it came it hit like a ton of bricks. See, my mother had spent the last few years of her life in pain in a care facility. I prayed often that the Lord would take her pain from her. When He did, I questioned Him on why He did it. Sound familiar? Far too often as believers, we fail to see the reasons behind why the Lord does what He does. We make flowery speeches about Gods will, then question Him when He exorcises it. If you ask me, God has more patience than we give Him credit for. Here He created us {Genesis 1:27}. He breathed into us His breath of life {Genesis 2:7}. Despite this truth, there are those who continue to deny Him. It is these people who need a meeting with Jesus.
The other disciples, then, said to him, "We have seen the Lord!" Yet he said to them, "Should I not perceive in His hands the print of the nails, and thrust my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust me hand into His side, I will by no means be believing." And after eight days His disciples were again within, and Thomas was with them. The doors having been locked, Jesus is coming and stood in the midst and said, "Peace to you!" Thereafter He is saying to Thomas, "Bring your finger here and perceive My hands, and bring your hand and thrust it into My side, and do not become unbelieving, but believing." And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" Now Jesus is saying to Him, "Seeing that you have seen Me, you have believed. Happy are those who are not perceiving and believe."
Johns Account 20: 25-29, Concordant New Testament
If anyone ever needed a meeting with Jesus, it was His disciple Thomas. Most believers have heard of the doubt of this follower of Christ at one time or another. In fact, we all too often characterize someone who does not agree with us as a "Doubting Thomas." There's a good reason for that. Thomas spent more than a few years following Jesus. He lived with Him. He dined with Him and He learned from Him. Yet in the chaos surrounding the death of Jesus, Thomas refused to believe that He was indeed alive. Despite the fact that Jesus had spoken to His disciples that He would return after being crucified, Thomas still refused to believe. He needed a meeting with Jesus, and that's what he got. It was only after seeing the risen Lord for himself that Thomas believed. Far too many believers have fallen into this trap. We seek living proof that Jesus exists. For the record, WE are the living proof that Jesus exists. The apostle Paul spoke to this truth in Galatians {Paul To The Galatians 2:20}. It's natural that one would only see as real that which is front of their eyes. Yet Paul also proclaims that as believers, we walk by faith and not by sight {Paul To The Corinthians(2) 5:7}. We might not see our risen Lord, but we trust by our faith His word that we remain in Him {First Epistle Of John 4:13}. Of course, you may be like Thomas and seek living proof that Jesus indeed exists. If so, then you may need a meeting with Jesus.
In this we know that we are remaining in Him, and He is us, for He has given us of His spirit.
First Epistle Of John 4: 13, Concordant New Testament
~Scott~
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