He Meets us Where We Are
It is easy to doubt the testimony of God’s healing in other families when we have not experienced it firsthand.
After the resurrection of Jesus the apostle Thomas sat alone in dismay and unbelief. It had been three days since Christ died and was buried in the tomb. The disciples had gathered but for whatever reason Thomas did not join them. Then it happened. The resurrected Jesus appeared to the disciples in the middle of their meeting place. The disciples were overjoyed and it seems as one of their first responses was, “we must go and tell Thomas.” (see John 20:24-29)
You would think Thomas would be excited, but rather he was discouraged, dismayed, unbelieving and perhaps even bitter. In response to this great news, Thomas replied, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” Even though the other disciples explained their first-hand encounter with the resurrected Christ, Thomas was unwilling to accept their testimony. Thomas explained that he would only believe if he had the same experience and was able to shove his hands in Jesus’ wounds.
But then it happened. Eight days later, Thomas was in a room with the disciples and Christ appeared making Himself known to Thomas. Jesus expressed that Thomas could shove his hands in his scars and told Thomas, “Do not disbelieve, but believe.” At this Thomas replies, “My Lord and My God.”
Thomas was broken and he was unbelieving. He would not accept the testimony of others that had experienced the risen Christ. Thomas made a seemingly unreasonable demand. Then Christ met him in his unreasonableness and his unbelief.
It is common to hear about broken marriages from others that God has miraculously healed, while we continue to sit in the rubble of our fallen homes.
We even hear of marriages that have survived affairs, and yet, our marriage remains broken.
We hear about children who have rebelled against their families but God has restored and now the family lives in unity and harmony; yet our children remain in rebellion and seem to hate God and us.
We hear about the lives of elderly couples that God has sustained and blessed with a godly marriage for 50 years, but for whatever reason our parents divorced and we never had the opportunity to observe this miracle of one man and one woman for their entirety on earth.
And it is easy to become like Thomas, unwilling to believe the testimony of God’s healing in other families because we have not experienced it firsthand. We wonder why is it that Christ is doing this in the lives of so many others, yet our marriage, our family, and our home remain broken?
But Thomas did not just remain broken. He made an unreasonable demand. He even later rejoined meeting with the disciples. And Christ met him where he was: broken and unbelieving.
So perhaps I would express that it is okay if you do not currently believe the testimonies of God’s miracles in broken homes. But it is not okay to remain broken, in despair and unbelieving. It is not okay to allow your family, your marriage and your children to remain broken without calling out to God. I am reminded by this great story that Christ will meet us in our darkest of hour and even in our unbelief if we call out to Him, even if it seems unreasonable. Thomas went from not believing the testimonies from others, to making an unreasonable and even gruesome demand, to meeting Christ face to face and making the proclamation, “My Lord and My God.” Jesus had now become a personal reality to the apostle Thomas.
Do not settle for second-hand stories of families that God has miraculously healed, while sitting back in unbelief because you have not experienced it personally. Do not be content with a broken marriage believing that you cannot have what others have experienced. Do not give up on your children, thinking God is unable to save and restore. Do not live in despair and unbelief, but rather call out to Christ in your unbelief and ask Him to make a restored home, a restored marriage, and restored children realities in your own life.
Tell him, you want more than testimonies from others. Tell him, you want a firsthand experience. I am sure that the same Christ who met Thomas in his darkest hour will also meet your home, even in brokenness and unbelief.
May Christ become “Your God and your Lord” in your home today!
