Childlike Faith

March 31, 2016

Opening Hymns:
369 Blessed Assurance http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh369.sht

Scripture Reading:
John 20:19-31
20:19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."

20:20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

20:21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you."

20:22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.

20:23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

20:24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.

20:25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."

20:26 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."

20:27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe."

20:28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"

20:29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

20:30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book.

20:31 But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

Message:
Sometimes I think we give Thomas a hard time. Sure, in today’s scripture he doesn’t believe what the disciples are telling him. It seems beyond his comprehension that Jesus would come back from the dead. But, I wonder if any of the other disciples would have doubted as well. How would we have reacted if we didn’t already know the story? Would we believe without seeing for ourselves?

As a child I remember thinking that anything was possible. My imagination would often run wild. I still enjoy falling into the world of my own imaginations sometimes… but adulthood has also created more “realistic” expectations for the future. It is sad in a way when I see how my world view has changed. Not everything seems possible anymore. Sometimes I wonder if my “realistic” view is actually a view of the world with less faith. Sometimes when I think that “I can’t do that,” or “there’s not enough time to do everything”…. Maybe the reality is that I don’t want to try, or I don’t have the courage to attempt what I might fail at.

Faith in God is so important. I strongly believe all the stories that I’ve read in the bible. The trials that I face in my life only make me cling stronger to my faith in God. But though I have faith in God, sometimes I have difficulties trusting myself. After all, I can see my own faults, and I see where I’ve failed in the past. When I was in college I struggled through school. Nursing school was the hardest thing I had ever had to do. I didn’t think I was smart enough, I didn’t believe that I would have the intelligence or endurance that nursing school took. But I felt called by God to be a nurse, and it was my faith and trust in Him that allowed me to believe in myself.

When you continue on your journey I hope that you can still have a childlike imagination that adds some magic to your own little world. While you grow older you too may get a more “realistic” view of your world. Don’t let that view make you forget that with God all things are possible. Rivers separate, food falls from the sky, people are raised from the dead, and our sins are washed clean. God has called you to go out and share His love with others. Have faith and strength to know that you can change the world for the better! Don’t let “realistic” views limit the wonderful things that you can do for this world.  

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You for making all things possible. We are so grateful that You have saved us from our sins. Let us have faith in you as we journey down that paths that You lead us. Let us share the joy with others. Let us imagine a better world, and help us create it together. Amen.


The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
710 Faith of Our Fathers http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh710.sht

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, serve the Lord
Thanks be to God