Thursday, October 18, 2012

are you sure about that?




When we were kids and Joey's mom got a new car, we ran home telling our parents, and they would doubt us. They knew the Colemans, and if Mrs. Coleman had traded in her 1950 Chevy for the new Mustang, this had to be seen to be believed. "Are you sure about that?" they would ask, for not only had we never seen the new Mustangs, but Mrs. Coleman? Her old car was old even among old cars at the time, which were uncool. But once we saw it parked in front of her house where the old Chevy used to sit and leak, and when we saw her taking Joey to school, we believed. But after we had ridden in it, then the story had to be true-no one could not believe you if you ridden in it! Not even your parents! Believing was seeing, riding in it, was too cool for words. We knew it was really hers now. And the smile spoke for any adjectives your 11 year old vocabulary hadn't added yet.
When visiting my father-in-law in the ER the other day, we had been talking about my recent open heart surgery. Do we sound like two old ladies discussing operations or what? When his nurse walked in and commented I looked good for only 3 months after surgery. She asked what I had had done, and when I explained about the staph infection filling my pericardial sac, and the aneurism on my aorta, she gave a look of disbelief. We knew only one other case like this had been recorded, but when I told her about my heart filled with pus, and my aorta exploding, she looked at me with disbelief. "You don't live through that, it is called AAA, and it is fatal." You bleed to death is less than 30 seconds! Only after explaining I was a miracle, God's miracle, and that I had read the reports, and talked to the doctors, did she begin to believe me. She had met the man behind the story-why would I make this up? No layman could do that, only since it was my testimony would it be believable. And I am sure she was going to pass the story around to her other nurses, who may not believe her, but she had met me-seeing was believing. And she wasn't the first medical professional to question it, even my local cardiologist after a full examination could find no fault with me. "You're lucky to be alive, but fine," he said. The scar only proving what the test showed. And I have the scar to prove it!
He is wrongly called Doubting Thomas, although the Bible never refers to him by that. Check out the scene, it is three days after Jesus had been crucified. It is Sunday night, and all the remaining disciples except for Thomas are up hiding, in the dark, in the upper room, for fear of persecution. An elite bunch, but a normal group of men, who were unique because of Jesus. We are not told where Thomas is, but one teacher believes he is on the street, living for Christ still, in spite of the circumstances. When in walks Jesus, although the door is locked. Right through the wall. And just like He said, after 3 days He would rise-and they all saw Him, except for Tom. But when they hurriedly told him that they had seen Jesus, his first thought was one of hmmmm? Great, now they are seeing ghosts. Aren't these the same bunch that included a tax collector, a known liar? Who the two brother's Mommy had gone to Jesus to ask for special treatment upon death? And here before death? And wasn't the toughest one intimidated by a teenage girl? And had to run away? And he was asked to believe this bunch? Yeah right, He just walked in through the wall. Would you? If it was so easy to believe, what took you so long?
So we know about his famous "only if I touch Him will I believe" statement. But so did Jesus. And reminded Tom of that when they met again. And Thomas believed-never touching His wounds, but recognizing Jesus! And recognizing His voice, for the sheep know the sound of their shepherd's voice-one that they all should have known very well, and that Thomas instantly recognized. So why do we doubt Jesus even today, and why does He still bear the scars? To prove it is Him, because we ask, like the nurse did, and like Tom did, "are you sure?" Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word, and the word is not the book, but the person of Jesus Christ, the great shepherd. An illustrated book.
So it is OK to be like Thomas, for he only wanted to be sure. He didn't trust man, or his friends. He only trusted God-and set an example for us to follow today. Are you that sheep wondering about Jesus? Get to know His voice, and trust in addition to believing. For all believe, but only a small number trust. And that is among those of us who are saved!
And so I have this 12 inch scar on my chest to prove to the doubters of my testimony. When I look at it in the mirror I am reminded of the miracle that God performed in me-and how unique I am to Him. And how no other person on record has my story-my medical testimony or my testimony of Jesus Christ. And yours is just as precious and just as unique. So next time someone demands evidence before they make a commitment, take them to Thomas. They may doubt-he never did. He wanted proof-and found it in the voice of Jesus, the word of God! Proof that the word never returns void, and He has the scars to prove it.
I wonder what the nurse would think of that? What do you think of that? For it is not the question, but your answer that makes the difference. That I am sure about. Jesus Christ-and He has the scars to prove it!
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com