March 27: Following His Guidance.
HIS REMAKING.
"Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing."--John 20:27
In her book* about letting God bring His newness into our lives after we have experienced a bitter disappointment, Lysa TerKeurst offers insightful phrases to remember, such as: "If I want His promises, I have to trust His process;" "God isn't ever going to forsake you, but He will go to great lengths to remake you;" and one of my favorites: "What if disappointment is really the exact appointment your soul needs to radically encounter God?" *
Thomas was utterly disappointed. His expectations about Jesus and the upcoming kingdom had been completely shattered, and he refused to believe, even when the other disciples were telling him that they had seen the risen Jesus! His devastation was clear: "Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe" (John 20:25). When we find ourselves at the end of our rope, God offers to remake us, bringing newness out of the dust. We live in a sinful world that is sure to disappoint us, either through a discouraging medical diagnosis, the death of a loved one, unexpected spousal infidelity, et cetera. That's when God does His miraculous work by not only guiding us through the painful process, but also remaking us and bringing newness to our battered souls. That's what happened to Thomas: Jesus revealed Himself to him in a new way (verse 27), and Thomas responded with the most profound confession about the divinity of Jesus found in the Gospels: "Thomas...said to Him, 'My Lord and my God!' " (verse 28). Later, Thomas was part of the group of disciples that saw the risen Lord at the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1, 2) and witnessed a miraculous catch. And I am excited to tell you that Thomas is mentioned among the disciples who gathered in the upper room (Acts 1:13), as the newly formed Christian community was about to start its public ministry with the baptism of the Holy Spirit! Yes, God is an expert at revealing His radical grace to us in moments of bitter disappointment.
My Response:_________________________________________________________
* Lysa TerKeurst, It's Not Supposed to Be This Way (Nashville, TN: Nelson Books, 2018), Ioc. 767, 777, Kindle.
HIS REMAKING.
"Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing."--John 20:27
In her book* about letting God bring His newness into our lives after we have experienced a bitter disappointment, Lysa TerKeurst offers insightful phrases to remember, such as: "If I want His promises, I have to trust His process;" "God isn't ever going to forsake you, but He will go to great lengths to remake you;" and one of my favorites: "What if disappointment is really the exact appointment your soul needs to radically encounter God?" *
Thomas was utterly disappointed. His expectations about Jesus and the upcoming kingdom had been completely shattered, and he refused to believe, even when the other disciples were telling him that they had seen the risen Jesus! His devastation was clear: "Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe" (John 20:25). When we find ourselves at the end of our rope, God offers to remake us, bringing newness out of the dust. We live in a sinful world that is sure to disappoint us, either through a discouraging medical diagnosis, the death of a loved one, unexpected spousal infidelity, et cetera. That's when God does His miraculous work by not only guiding us through the painful process, but also remaking us and bringing newness to our battered souls. That's what happened to Thomas: Jesus revealed Himself to him in a new way (verse 27), and Thomas responded with the most profound confession about the divinity of Jesus found in the Gospels: "Thomas...said to Him, 'My Lord and my God!' " (verse 28). Later, Thomas was part of the group of disciples that saw the risen Lord at the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1, 2) and witnessed a miraculous catch. And I am excited to tell you that Thomas is mentioned among the disciples who gathered in the upper room (Acts 1:13), as the newly formed Christian community was about to start its public ministry with the baptism of the Holy Spirit! Yes, God is an expert at revealing His radical grace to us in moments of bitter disappointment.
My Response:_________________________________________________________
* Lysa TerKeurst, It's Not Supposed to Be This Way (Nashville, TN: Nelson Books, 2018), Ioc. 767, 777, Kindle.
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