Do we ever have doubting moments – times when it’s hard to imagine God coming through with God’s promises? I know I have. For those of us who’ve been there, Today’s Holy Nougat is for us. For us others, may the reflections on our Nougat keep you in God grace if you ever get there.
Matthew 28:16-17 NIV
[16] Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.
[17] When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
But Some Doubted
Christ had died.
The disciples were all devastated. It was impossible for them to accept that their fearless, miracle-working, defender of the oppressed mentor and friend was dead. Most of them had finally believed that He was truly the Messiah. So they could not help but have mixed feelings about their dead Y’shua.
They were also defenseless, even vulnerable. They were known far and wide as Christ’s followers. The questions posed at Peter during Y’shua’s arrest and trial confirmed that. If the powers of the day crucified Christ… what of them? They most likely were afraid.
They lived fully with that fear for the longest three nights of their lives.
Then Mary of Magdala brought the most incredulous news.
Y’shua was not dead.
He had risen.
What utter nonsense! Y’shua couldn’t raise Himself from death – but the women saw Him for themselves. And they reported that He, yes, Y’shua, wished to meet them at the designated mountain in Galilee.
All eleven went.
All saw Y’shua.
Most were convicted.
All worshipped.
Yet, despite the years of an intensive one-on-one relationship with Y’shua, the Christ, some of the eleven had doubts that it truly was Y’shua.
What was different?
Was He less a promise-keeper in resurrection? With His resurrection, Y’shua fulfilled the last unfulfilled promise.
Could it have been a cruel trick? But, after being in intimate quarters, they should recognize a charlatan.
Perhaps they had not moved past the shock of His death. They might have been blinded by the guilt of their own desertion of Him. Perhaps they simply needed a bit more processing time.
Whatever it was, they harboured doubt.
Self-Check
What are the triggers of our own doubtfulness? Can we actually articulate them
Application
The disciples’ story doesn’t end with doubt.
Even in their doubt, they worshipped. Maybe their doubt was wondering if Y’shua had truly died. It might have been peer pressure. But they pushed past the doubt and worshipped. It was empowering.
And, when they finished worshipping, Y’shua Himself commissioned them.
Siblings,
Resurrection had not dulled Y’shua’s capacity to know the heart posture of His disciples. He knew that some doubted.
Yet He opted to affirm their worship.
On them all, Y’shua breathed God’s spirit.
To them all, Y’shua gave the Great Commission
Through them all, Y’shua reminds and assures each of us that our worship overrides our doubts.
Because of them, we learn that Y’shua keeps promises.
With them all, we worship Y’shua with our all.
Can we accept that?
Will we believe that?
In our moments of doubt that Christ can or will come through …
let us worship.
Let us worship as if our lives depend on it. It just might.
Lord, we believe. Help us past our unbelief (Mark 9:24)
Point to Ponder
When we can’t find the strength to believe on our own, by ourselves … find strength and support in numbers – get a prayer partner to join us in prophetic praise!
Lord I Believe in You
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May all we seek be found in Christ
