Blessed Faith (John 20:24-29)
Thomas had nothing left to confirm when he saw Jesus personally said before his eyes. He exclaimed to Jesus “My Lord and My God!” This is the greatest confession of faith among what the apostles had done.
1. Faith that determines dedication
Thomas did not just acknowledge that Jesus had resurrected but also realized who Jesus is and gave Him the greatest confession. His confession of faith included a determination to dedicate himself. He surely had faith that Jesus is the Master to be obeyed and the God to be served, so he knew how he should behave before his Master.
2. Faith that we trust even if we did not see Him
“Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed,” Jesus encouraged Thomas, who came to have faith and then added “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Thomas had the personal experience of seeing the Resurrected Lord, which allowed him to believe in Him. However, the next generation after the Lord ascended into heaven cannot have any chance to see Him with their own eyes. Nonetheless, they should have faith by listening to the words preached through the apostle’s experience and maintain their faith to the end, even though they do not see anything.
3. Faith that follows God’s determination
It is human thought that experiencing special miracles is the only way to attain a higher level of faith. Miracles do not give faith; they are the result of an individual’s faith. Even if we have not witnessed any testimony with our own eyes, the Lord wants us to have faith in the testimony of those who saw and experienced Jesus personally, as written in the bible. The most important key to our faith is our determination to dedicate our lives to God. When we determine to offer ourselves to God, in turn, He will decide to have mercy on us.
February 12, 2023
Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim
