YOU Are Our Refuge & Shield. Let Us Be GLAD In YOU!
We say, “I am so glad you came,” but would we be glad if someone were to come and then finally came—8 days later!!?
Truthfully, we might not be as glad as we are mad that the person took 8 days to finally appear.
GLAD & GLADNESS.
These are two words that do not fill our vocabulary every day, but they should. Instead, we use words such as “Happy” OR “Ecstatic” OR “Joyful,” instead of “GLAD.” In fact, the only time we may use the word “glad” is when we sing a certain hymn at church.
“Some GLAD morning, when this life is over, I’ll fly away.”
God has given us His grace, and we are able to march forward in His strength as we move toward day-by-day to the day we will “fly away,” and it is a fact—Since we are HIS, on THAT DAY we will be so GLAD!
In reading about the touch of God, I was reminded of the period of forty days after the resurrection of Jesus, when HE was seen by more than 500. The history records the day Jesus met his apostles, who were hiding because they feared the Jews. It was THERE where Jesus met them and filled them with His Holy Spirit—-that is all but one apostle—-Thomas. For some odd reason, Thomas was not present, and so when the others told him they had seen Jesus, Thomas made a declaration that we still often use as a descriptor against Thomas. We say, “Don’t be a doubter like Thomas.”
Eight days!
A whole WEEK + 1 MORE DAY!
Who do we know who has not yet met Jesus? Who has not yet accepted Jesus as LORD? Who was absent when we saw Jesus, and so they now are a bit skeptical to this whole Jesus-scene?
WHO?
WHO REMAINS “SAD” BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT YET BEEN MADE GLAD?
WHO MAY EVEN BECOME “MAD” BECAUSE THEY HAVE HEARD “ENOUGH!” ABOUT OUR JESUS?
8 DAYS!
A WHOLE WEEK (7) + 1 MORE DAY!
Do not believe me but believe God’s Holy Word!
“After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said,
(John 20: 24-29)
“Peace be with you.”
Then He said to Thomas,
“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.”
Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and My God.
Jesus said to him,
“Because you have seen Me, have you believed?
Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
In one solitary moment, Jesus moved supernaturally into the room.
In one solitary moment, Jesus spoke “His Peace” to them.
In one solitary moment, Jesus sought the unbelieving one and He called the one by name.
In one solitary moment, Jesus provided all the evidence needed to prove He was WHO He said He Was.
In one solitary moment, Thomas saw the truth of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
In one solitary moment Thomas believed.
Let us not disregard the solitary moments because as believers, we each experienced A SOLITARY MOMENT WHEN WE SAW THE TRUTH FOUND IN JESUS & SUDDENLY BELIEVED!
In one solitary moment, Jesus provides the way for every person to go from separated and lost to God—TO THE PLACE OF FOUND….ALL BECAUSE of JESUS!
Let us continue to be His witnesses as Jesus provides them 1 WEEK + 1 MORE DAY TO SEE & BELIEVE IN HIM!
Jesus knew He was going to ascend back to heaven, to sit on the right hand of God.
Jesus knew that Thomas saw Jesus with his physical eyes and believed, & Jesus knew that many today would not see the physical, human body (the body with the nail-scarred hands and feet & the body with the pierced side), & Jesus knew that many would be blessed and believe.
Jesus knew that many would proclaim, “My Lord and My God,” once they experienced the truth and salvation found through Jesus.
JESUS KNEW!
Father God (in His Omniscience) revealed His truth to Isaiah, who then told the people,
“Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes,
(Isaiah: 43: 8-13)
And the deaf, even though they have ears.
All the nations have gathered together
So that the peoples may be assembled.
Who among them can declare this
And proclaim to us the former things?
Let them present their witnesses that they may be justified,
Or let them hear and say, ‘It is true.’
You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD,
“And My servant whom I have chosen,
So that you may know and believe Me
And understand that I am He.
Before Me there was no God formed,
And there will be none after Me.
“I, even I, am the LORD;
And there is no Savior besides Me,
It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed,
And there was no strange god among you;
So you are My witnesses,” declares the LORD,
“And I am God.
Even from eternity I am He,
And there is none who can deliver out of My hand;
I act and who can reverse it?”
TRULY!
We believed, and we were made GLAD.
“Some GLAD morning, when this life is over, I will fly away!”
“But let all who take refuge in You be glad,
(Psalm 5: 11-12)
Let them ever sing for joy;
And may You shelter them;
That those who love Your name may exult in You.
For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O LORD,
You surround him with favor as with a shield.”
May we shout out loud, “HALLELUJAH & PRAISE THE LORD,” for we have been made GLAD!