Scripture:  Read 1 Peter 1:8-9

“Though you have not seen him, you love him.  Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”  1 Peter 1:8-9

Observations: O Peter comments on the common experience of all the Christians who have come after the birth, ministry, crucifixion, and ascension of Jesus.  Although Peter walked and lived with Jesus in the flesh, the new believers have not.

But this has not kept them from having a relationship with the Living Risen Jesus Christ.  Far from it!  Though they have not seen him, they love him, believe in him, and rejoice in Him.  They are receiving the salvation of their souls.

Applications:  This passage warms my heart and causes me to overflow with Sometimes we are tempted to think that we must see in order to believe.  But actually trust and faith is a grace gift of God drawn now from the clues for belief contained in the Gospel and activated by the Holy Spirit.

The disciple Thomas struggled with believing that Jesus had risen from the dead.  In fact he told the other Disciples that he would not believe until he had seen and touched Jesus.  Jesus gracefully appeared to Thomas in a gathering of the Disciples and addressed Thomas — rebuilding and restoring Thomas’ faith.  Notice what Jesus said:

24One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. 25They told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”

26Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”

28“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.

29Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

Jesus says I am blessed!

Prayer:  Heavenly Father thank you for constantly pushing back against the tide of unbelief that seeks to push me beyond the tension of faith and doubt into the abyss of “No Trust.”  Please LORD, may your Spirit pour your love into my heart.  May your Spirit renew my mind and remind me of the promise of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It’s in His name that I pray.  I love you! AMEN.