John 14:1-14 — I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life
John 14:15-31 — Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
Thoughts about serving others
This link includes a list of posts about Serving the Least, the Lost, and the Lonely.
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Let the Word evoke words. May your life encourage lives.
I’m thankful that John records questions from a few surrounding Jesus during these encounters. Thomas asks, “how can we know the way?” (John 14:5). The same one we refer to as Doubting Thomas is right there with Jesus and hears the words, “I am going there to prepare a place for you” (14:2). Then he hears, “If you really know me” (14:7). These words define Thomas and perhaps many of us who hear the words and must wrestle with the question, do we doubt? or do we really know Jesus? Later on in John 20, Jesus is resurrected and appears to Thomas in the infamous scene where he offers Thomas his hands as physical evidence of his crucification and resurrection.
In these instances with Thomas, Jesus is kind and caring. Thomas represents so many who are struggling to believe. He always wants to believe, just has a hard time understanding these difficult thoughts. He’s listening to Jesus and perhaps he thinks, “where are you going?” The Old Testament stories they would have had access to (in some limited fashion) did not provide much clarification for Thomas or anyone else. But Thomas isn’t afraid to ask the questions. Not so much because he doubted, he just didn’t understand. Many we face today don’t understand either. Those of us raised in a Godly home have heard the stories all our lives. We lose sight of the fact that this is not the case for more and more people. Lord help me to learn how to hear the questions people ask with kindness, with a gentle, non-judgmental heart. Thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to fuel the flame of a burning desire to serve Christ.