Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Luke 24:39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.

BE SURE!

I was in full panic mode. Heading out the door, I went to grab my wallet from the desk, and it wasn’t there! I checked the bedroom dresser, no luck. I mentally retraced my steps from the day before, and still didn’t have the foggiest idea of where I might have left it. Finally, in desperation, I checked the pockets of the pants I had worn the day before, and there it was. Since then, I check and double-check to make sure I know exactly where my wallet is.

If something is important, it's worthwhile checking and double-checking, whether it's a wallet, car keys, or what time the doctor's appointment is. That's especially true for faith. Many of us have known the truths of our salvation from little on. We've heard and read the accounts of Jesus' crucifixion and His glorious resurrection on Easter morning. But like a familiar wallet, we can take those truths for granted and even "misplace" them. Satan tries to instill doubts in our minds, just as he did when he asked Eve, "Did God really say?" Ignore it long enough, and we could lose the gospel entirely.

So let's check and double-check faith by daily going back to Scripture. Never imagine that tonight's family devotion or tomorrow's service is a waste of time. After all, "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). When you wonder about things like Jesus' rising from the dead and whether it really happened, double-check it. Go back to 1 Corinthians 15 and read again for yourself: "Christ has indeed been raised from the dead." When it seems as though the Lord must have forgotten you because you’re facing so many questions and have so few answers, go back to His promise: "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast….Though she may forget, I will not forget you!" (Isaiah 49:15).