If you want to have a working relationship with God then consider the following lesson. A working relationship means we all want to see evidence of Christ and his angels manifest in our lives but this is hard to comprehend. What could be the reason you may wonder? The Bible gives us the answer.
John 20:1-9
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the burial cloth around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, went inside. He saw and believed.
10 Then the disciples returned to their homes, 11 but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
This is the most intriguing part of the resurrection story. These are the points that I want us to consider. Firstly Peter and John went into the tomb but saw nothing. Mary goes in a few moments later and she not only sees angels seated right where Peter and John’s eyes had observed but she also turns around to see Jesus standing behind her. What a revelation! It is evident that the angels were already inside when the disciples entered but would not show themselves to them and Jesus having been risen moments earlier was also present but would not reveal himself likewise. Why?
What was wrong with Peter and John that they missed this revelation? What was so special with Mary Magdalene that Jesus chose to reveal himself to her only? Weren’t Peter and John the closest disciples? John on the other hand was referred to as the beloved disciple but not so this time. What could have been the reason you may wonder? Consider the following bible text.
Luke 24:9-12
9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.
The above text explains it all. The disciples doubted the testimony of the woman. Heaven is displeased whenever we express doubt. I believe that is the reason why heavenly beings and the Son of God would not appear to the two men. Jesus himself rebuked one disciple who doubted the same testimony of his resurrection. This is more proof that those who doubt displease God.
John 20:24-29
24 Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.” 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
So it is with all of us who doubt God at certain points of our lives. Angels who are eager to reveal themselves in our lives would not do so because we have doubted. God’s power does not manifest fully in us because of doubt. God has appeared in the past in person to some of his servants who believed. He appeared to Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Daniel and many others who did not doubt his power.
God is still ready to manifest in our lives the same way today. If only we could have faith like Mary did. Angels appear all around us everywhere, in our homes, schools, workplaces and all yet our eyes are blinded by doubt. Don’t you want to see an angel in your life one day? Don’t you want to see Jesus? If this is your dream then join me and we start acknowledging his presence in our lives. It all starts with us realizing the smaller blessings in our lives such as the daily gift of life then gradually we will be open to comprehend the greater things.
God help us to rid our hearts of doubt so that we can witness God’s presence and manifestations in our hearts and lives. See you in the next lesson.
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