Touch, Taste and See: A God Who Wants us to Experience Him

          As I was reading in Acts chapter 1 this morning and a line jumped out at me.

"After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive.  He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the Kingdom of God."

Acts 1:3

           Did you catch that?  He, Jesus, presented himself to his disciples AND gave them many convincing proofs that He was indeed ALIVE.  He was God, The Almighty so He really didn't have to do that.  He could have just sent a prophet, like He had done before.  He could have just sent an angel.  But, no, this time, He Himself came to convince them of His life and power.

           This touched my heart.  He knew the weakness of man.  He knew and understood our struggle to believe in the supernatural.  He didn't rebuke them in disgust for their lack of faith.  Okay so I too remember a few "Oh ye of little faith!" statements from the Gospels.  But I think those statements came with compassion.  He knew the propensity for human flesh to doubt. Especially in the face of grief and pain.  Remember they had just lost their best friend at the Cross. Their world had collapsed.  They were mourning, disoriented and confused.  And so, for His grieving friends, He came.  For. 40. Days.

        In His mercy, He went to his friend Thomas and what did He say?

      Even though the doors were locked (I love that line), Jesus came and stood among them and said, 

      "Peace be with you!" 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."  John 20:26-27

            And He is merciful to meet us.  And yet He is wanting us to STOP DOUBTING and  believe.   Locked doors won't stop Him.  Death won't hold him back.   He will keep coming.

I have heard unbelief is a sin . . . but that's the good part.  We can say "oops sorry God." OR "Help me overcome my unbelief." And He does.  He did it for Thomas and He will do it for us as well.

           He wants us to experience Him! He wants to be with us!  Psalm 34:8 says,

                                     
                "Taste and see that the Lord is good."

       

           He wanted it for his disciples, and He wants the same thing for us today.

     
                                  "Taste and see"

He isn't afraid for us to experience and encounter Him.  He isn't holding back.   He is drawing near through Christ.

Prayer for today:

        Lord, help me in my unbelief.  Help me to believe.  Lord let me experience you.  Let me encounter you and know you want to be near.

 On a Practical Level:

       Write down any answers you receive to this prayer this week.  Record them and treasure them.  Whether simple, like a scripture verse jumping out at you as read the Word or a dream.  Or whether its a vision or an orchestrated circumstance or even more profound,  they are now part of your testimony, your history in God.

"The Healer" 20'x36" oil on canvas, "Taste, Touch and See"