Morning by Morning, April 5 - "Some Doubted"
Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are my Lord and Savior and Best Friend. I welcome You into the journey of my day. ...
"Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted" (Matthew 28:16-17).
Sometimes it astonishes me just how blatantly honest the Word of God can be. Here, all twelve of Your first disciples -- except for the one who betrayed You -- saw You and worshiped You in Your resurrected glory. Yet even then, "some doubted."
If the stories of the Bible were written by men -- rather than by the Holy Spirit of God writing through the men chosen by God to express the truth and heart of God -- surely they would have left out these words of doubt and unbelief. But the words of Your Scripture are faithful and true, raw with reality, unafraid to fully express authentic struggles with faith.
Yes, according the Word of God, some of Your closest followers, those who knew You best, stood in Your presence, fell down to worship You, and then doubted the truth in their hearts. But before we're so quick to judge, don't we also have to admit in the raw reality of our own struggles of faith that sometime we doubt too? Don't we also, at times, doubt the truth of Your presence and the power of Your resurrection. One moment we're worshiping and the next moment we're doubting?
Thank You for the freedom to be real -- to be blatantly honest when we doubt in our hearts and struggle with our faith. Thank You for the freedom from the false fantasy of some kind of fairly tale faith that says we're never allowed to admit the truth of our struggles and doubts, our questions and fears, even though we worship You and welcome Your presence in our lives.
But in that moment of truth when "some doubted," You didn't call down fire from heaven on their heads or deliver them over to the wrath of God for their stubbornness of doubts and unbelief. Instead, Your very next words were: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations..." (v. 18).
Wow! What a merciful God! What a God who is always faithful even when we are faithless. What a God who doesn't cast us aside when we're not constantly consistent in our faith and trust in the One who loves us and gave His life for us.
You met them in their place of doubt, but You didn't leave them there. You filled them with Your Spirit and sent them out to be Your witnesses into all the world. The ancient traditions forever tell the stories of how each of these eleven disciples carried Your words of truth and life to the ends of the earth, even willing to lay down their lives for their faith in You. "Some doubted," but Someone greater never gave up on them. You gave them faith to believe and faith to live their lives for You, making disciples of all nations, and passing on a legacy of faith to every generation since. May we do the same, as best as we can and all by Your grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
I pray you will be filled with faith to overcome the moments of fear and doubt to keep going in the grace of God to make disciples of Jesus Christ through your life each day, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Friends, please come join us for the First Wednesday Service of Worship and Healing at Oak Hills Church, Crownridge Campus this Wednesday Night in San Antonio at 7pm. I'll be sharing a word of hope and healing with Max Lucado. Our Rapha God Ministries team with be joining with Oak Hills Church to offer personal prayer ministry after the worship and message. All are welcome!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
Please share this word to encourage a friend!
