Nougat 25

‘How blessed it is for those have not seen yet believe!’ – sounds good doesn’t it – until it’s our unbelief that’s on the line. At that point, it’s a ‘horse of a different colour’. But what about those whose Faith was forged, they couldn’t/didn’t have faith crises right? Er, consider today’s Holy Nougat

“Then He said to them, “Why are you so shaken? And why do doubts arise in your heart?” Luke‬ ‭24:38‬ ‭TLV‬‬

Unlike you and I, the doubters here spent THREE good years under Jesus’ live and direct teaching and mentorship. What you and I read of and experience through God’s Spirit, they lived. He TOLD them MULTIPLE times of all that would ensue; fear and grief wiped all that from their minds.

So there it was, in Luke’s accounting of the Resurrection appearances, that the disciples were together – perhaps out of fear and grief, rather than anticipation – and the two with whom Jesus spoke on that life-changing journey to Emmaus were sharing about their astounding experience. In the midst of fear and the pain of not being able to see and do for themselves, it must have sounded fanciful; despite it corroborating the women’s story of seeing Jesus by the tomb.

Ironically, although this was not a trial in the traditional sense; Jesus applied the Three Witness principle (see 2 Corinthians 13:1; Matthew 18:16) to confirm the Fact of His resurrection: appearance to Mary and the other women; appearance to those en route Emmaus, who were so convinced that they turned back; and made them the third group to have seen Him for themselves.

Their doubts were exposed, not for ridicule but for vanquishing. Their FEAR (False Expectations Appearing Real) was invalidated and replaced by HOPE (Heavenly Opportunities Perfecting Expectations). In that experience, they found strength to press on despite Jesus’ physical removal.

So what does this have to do with us? In one sense, it legitimizes our moments of fear and doubt as natural. It can and will happen to each of us and to others.

But …

no matter how legitimate our fears are; they are FALSE in God’s presence. Moreover, when we are willing and able to name the Fear, there is scope for transformation to Hope.

And,

when we are able to admit the Fear, there’s scope for us to either experience the Three Witness principle for ourselves; or better yet – we have the opportunity to BE one of the three witnesses to corroborate the Fact of God’s Love. The Love that turns Fear to HOPE!

I pray that this encourages us all.

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May all we seek be found in Christ