WATCHWORD:
Jesus said: I am the resurrection of the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies. John 11:25
8 … whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:8-9 NKJV
Meditation:
The End of Faith
Years ago, I sat in Church and listened to a sermon where the Pastor made a statement that has stuck with me ever since; that in our eternal life there will be no need for faith because all will be revealed. Living in the presence of the Lord, therre will be no need for faith as we know it. While I understand that at one level, it is a hard concept for an earth-bound believer to grasp.
In the biblical fiction book, A Life for Barabbas, I imagined that this man, freed by Jesus from a horrible death on the cross, would seek to understand, Why? His curiosity would lead him to the tomb, he would witness the women arriving to prepare the body for burial, their excitement, which led him to follow all the way to Capernaum where he witnesses the resurrected Jesus in conversation with the fallen Peter. A witness to the resurrection. Where did faith come in? There was something that brought Peter to Capernaum, to the beach, to his meeting with the Master. Peter believed. Our belief is a measure of faith.
Scripture tells us there were some five hundred witnesses to the resurrected Lord. Most of those were part of The Way. For three years they had followed the Master and their faith deepen that He was the Messiah. But then the crucifixion, the death, and burial. Their belief was shattered and then restored with the resurrection. They knew that this is the Messiah. This man they had known as Jesus, was more than a man, he was a deity, an incarnation of God himself. And those privileged few did not need to simply believe, they knew because they saw and heard and were touched.
Something like a resurrection happened in the heart of Peter. In the crush that awful time, the seizing of our Lord, the fear that Peter felt in the challenge, “Do you know this man? No, I do not know him.” was the impulse of a human being simply being human. But then, there on the sand of Capernaum, he saw his Master, alive. He fell to his knees and those three telling questions, “Do you love me?”, awakened in Peter the fact that at the very center of his person was a committed and devoted life to Jesus. There would never be another time when Peter would deny his Lord. A resurrection of the heart.
How about you and me? The Lord comes to us in some of the most unusual settings, circumstances, or maybe it’s only in your mind, but you hear the Lord asking that telling question “Do you love me?” Words are an inadequate response, although that’s where you and I may start. But the true answer is reflected in the way we live our lives, day by day. It is demonstrated in our firm stand as a believer of our Lord and Savior. May there be a resurrection of the heart for each one of us.
Some Thoughts:
Years ago there was a song with the lyrics … ‘Looking for love in all the wrong places’. I think too often people search for life in so many wrong ways; chasing after pleasures, possessions and wealth, trying to deny the inevitable facts of life. As we travel along that road we ignore the abundant life that the Lord offers to everyone who turns toward him. Come as you are, take His yoke upon you and He will show you a better way and you will find rest for your soul — a resurrection of the heart.
Prayer in Song:
Precious Lord, take my hand, Lead me on, let me stand, I am tired, I am weak, I am worn; through the storm, through the night, Lead me on to the light: Take my hand, precious Lord, Lead me home.
When my way grows drear, Precious Lord, linger near, When my life is almost gone, Hear my cry, hear my call, Hold my hand lest I fall: Take my hand, precious Lord, Lead me home. Amen.
