In the Face of Doubt

John 6:1-15
Listen to the doubts expressed by the disciples when faced by the challenge of feeding a multitude. “Philip answered him, ‘Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?’” (John 6:7-9). We don’t have enough. There are too many needs to be met. We can’t do it all! According to John, this is what the disciples were saying to Jesus, but he was not swayed by the fears of his followers. He took what they had, a few loaves and fish, and fed the five thousand people who were gathered there…with food left over. It was an act of grace in the face of human need.

How often do we allow doubts to cloud our expectations of what God can do? How often do we look at a situation through human eyes—seeing limited resources and limitless needs––and forget that God sees things differently? We may never know how often has God gone beyond our assumptions creating, claiming, redeeming, sustaining, guiding, healing, loving where we see nothing to be done or no reason to do anything in the first place. It’s an aspect of the feeding story (one of the few that appears in all four gospels) that I often overlook. But it is vital that we allow God to work when and where God wills, that we keep our eyes open in faith, and that we do not close our minds to what is possible in the hands of the Lord.

 Prayer: Lord, ease our doubts and fears and help us to live with hope and expectation of what you are doing in our lives and in our world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

No More Questions

Luke 20:27-40

Trick questions were never a problem for Jesus. He could see right through them and always had an answer that exposed the trap. Challenges about taxes, neighbors, the essence of the law, Jesus answered them all with clarity and deep insight. Then came the day when, according to Luke, Jesus silenced the trick questions, the challenges, the efforts to catch him in a heresy once and for all. Some Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection, made up one of those silly hypothetical situations that is almost embarrassing to think about. If seven brothers all marry the same women, one at a time, to which one does she belong in the resurrection?

Never mind the answer that Jesus gave. To me, the real point of the story comes at the end. “Then some of the scribes answered, ‘Teacher, you have spoken well.’ For they no longer dared to ask him another question” (Luke 20:39-40). At that point the religious elite realized that Jesus could not be outwitted. No matter what they may think about Jesus and his preaching, they had to acknowledge that he knew what he was talking about.

Over the years I have heard a lot of skepticism expressed about God and the truth of religion in general. I’m guessing you have too. If God can do anything, can God create a rock so big that even God can’t pick it up? That’s one of the silly ones. On the serious side are questions about the nature of evil and why a loving God would ever let horrible things happen to good people. The truth is I don’t know. Sometimes all I can do is step back and realize that God, like Jesus, can’t be tricked or manipulated, but can be trusted. Oh, I have questions, too, and I believe that God hears them. But there are days and seasons when it is best for me to simply sit in silence and let God be God. Skepticism has its place in life. But so does faith. And if for whatever reason you do not believe God to be real, I would encourage you to set aside your resistance for just a bit, and wait and see what happens. It may be that God really does have an answer for you. It may be that God is really at work in your life whether you perceive it or not.

Prayer: Lord, be with those who wrestle with doubt this day, helping them to find you and to know you as you know them. Amen.

Worship and Doubt in Galilee

Matthew 28:16-20

It seems like an odd remark to make under the circumstances. “When (the eleven disciples) saw (Jesus),” Matthew says, “they worshiped him; but some doubted” (Matthew 28:17). Some doubted? Really? How does a comment like that fit into such a pivotal passage in Matthew’s story, so close to the great commission, right at the very end of the book? Isn’t it a little late to be dealing with doubt? Maybe, but keep in mind that this is the first time that anyone except the women have seen the resurrected Jesus in Matthew’s account. The eleven did not share the experience at the empty tomb, they have only had the word of two women to go on. They was bound to be some skepticism. But of greater significance to me is the phrase that comes just before Matthew mentions doubt: “When they saw him, they worshiped him….” So there was praise that day in Galilee as well, mixed in with the feelings of uncertainty.

Now for a bold confession on my part: There are many days when, despite my best efforts at faith, I find myself doubting, questioning, wondering, being skeptical. I can’t help it. Doubt creeps in and infects my worship and praise of God in Jesus Christ. Maybe you have the same experience that I do. If so here is something I find helpful. Even in my greatest times of doubt and hesitation I find that worship and praise of God in Jesus Christ helps me to move ahead, to live beyond my doubt until my faith is renewed as it always is. Doubt my infect our worship, but worship sets back our doubt when we allow it to. And when that happens we stand with the man who cried, “I believe, help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24) and with generations of Christians ever since who have struggled just the way we struggle. Doubt is not unusual even in the most faithful. But the great tragedy comes when we allow doubt to cut us off from the worshiping community. It doesn’t have to. Doubt is an honest reaction to events or information that sometimes overwhelm us. Worship, though, is the exercise regimen that keeps our hearts and minds attuned to what God is doing and prepared to do our part when we can.

Prayer: Lord, may our worship and praise continue, even in those times of greatest doubt, so that our lives may remain centered on you and your work. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Believer's Cry

Romans 7:13-25

There are passages of scripture that I find particularly poignant due to their truthful display of human frailty. Peter’s realization that he has indeed betrayed Jesus is one of them (Mark 14:72); Jeremiah, weeping for the people of Judah (Jeremiah 8:18-9:1) is, too; and the father who cries out in anguish, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) is another. Paul is also capable of honest emotion. “Wretched man that I am!” he writes. “Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24).

I once heard a minister lament, “It isn’t as if I didn’t want to believe what I say…” He left the comment hanging, but those of us who heard him knew what he meant. There are times when we simply do not have it within us to believe, to live in faith, to trust in God. At the bedside of a dying friend, in the wake of a natural catastrophe, at the end of a long and frustrating day we may find ourselves cloaked in doubt and despair. Who will rescue us from these circumstances?

If nothing else, we must recognize that the journey of God’s people has passed this way before. Peter, Jeremiah, the unnamed father, Paul, all of them have cried out in pain, and all of them have been heard. They and countless others have reached a limit in what they could do only to find God’s grace waiting for them. I know that when I am most challenged it is my own strength that fails me. But I also know that God remains active in my life and in yours. The honesty of scripture gives me the hope that soon I will join Paul in affirming, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25a). And then I will continue my journey by God’s grace.

Prayer: Lord, I believe; help my unbelief. Amen.

When I Need a Drink

Isaiah 12:1-6

Water is essential to life. We know that. The development of civilization has often been guided by the presence or the lack of water in a particular region. Even today, as technologically advanced as we are, water continues to be a concern around the globe.

Isaiah does not refute that, but the prophet would like to remind us that salvation is as important to human life as water. “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation,” he writes (Isaiah 12:3). This promise stands over and against the plight of God’s people at a time when they were faced with exile and the loss of identity because of their transgressions. They might have the water necessary to live, but would they ever again have what was necessary to restore their life as a faith community? Someday, the prophet assures them, you will have that opportunity once more. And with joy you will find God’s grace as abundant as the water in your wells.

There are days when I forget to drink enough water, and I feel run down, achy even. Once I’ve hydrated, however, I feel much better. There are also days when I feel spiritually drained, when my faith seems run down. Those are the days when I most need the reminder of God’s salvation, when I need to drink most deeply from the resources that guide my faith. Maybe you feel the same way. I don’t use a well for my water, not directly. But in times of doubt I can return to scripture, to prayer, to worship, to my faith community, to those around me who love and support me and with joy find what I need to continue living as a child of God. Isaiah’s promise has been kept. The wells of salvation are all around us. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord, continue to lead us by still waters and to the wells of salvation that we may drink deeply and find the strength we need to live by your will. Amen.