Believing Without Seeing...Because He Lives

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When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desired to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. ~ Mark 8:34-35

What does it mean to deny myself, to pick up my cross, and follow Him? It is a daily choice, a daily laying down of my desires, a daily decreasing of me and an increasing of Him.(Although the longer I walk with Him, the more my desires match His desires for my life. There is much to be gained in all my "giving up". Hence, " whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it".) It is choosing words and thoughts of life and not harm. It is doing the hard thing, trusting when I don't feel it, believing when I can't see it. It is clinging to Him when when it doesn't make sense when the world would say, "All hope is lost." When Satan whispers in my ear, "Where is your God now?" It is lifting my eyes to Him, no matter what stands before me. It is running to meet the giant, filled with the confidence that the God I serve is able to give victory.

So many times, we want to see the miracles with our eyes. We want proof that He is there. Proof that He hasn't forsaken us. Proof that He lives. Proof that He will carry us. Proof that His grace is sufficient. We want to see. Never have I ached to see Him more than when we heard the words "incompatible with life" in reference to our son Thomas. I have shared about part of that journey before, but today, I want to focus on the precious gift Thomas' life gave to us...the reason he is called Thomas. His life taught us about "believing without seeing."

Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord." So he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!" Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing."
And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"
Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. ~ John 20:24-29

"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day, He will rise again." ~ Mark 10:33-34

At Christmas, we rejoice because He came. On Easter, we rejoice because He lives.

Because He lives, our Faith and Grace live too. They are complete and perfect as they dance in heaven and giggle over dainty tea parties in their Easter dresses with matching bonnets. They are safe in the arms of Jesus...because He lives.

Because He lives, our Thomas lives too. He runs and plays ball just like he was created to do. And someday, Timothy and James will play ball with their brother in all of heaven's glory. And someday, we will all see with our eyes the Savior we have believed in with our hearts.

Because He lives, there is no more pain or cancer for my sweet mama. She can create beautiful things with her hands and love on her grandbabies. And someday, she will laugh with all of her grandbabies and her children on the porch of her cottage-mansion in heaven.

Because He lives, there will be no more tears. I will hope in Him. No more good-byes. Death has lost it's sting. He has the victory. He lives and He will come again to take us home...and He will reign forevermore.

Sweet Thomas Patrick...