Amidst all the conversations and arguments about faith, there remains this simple thing we are asked to do - believe.
But believing is not always a simple thing.
Be still for a bit, consider what you believe. And who you believe.
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
John 20:30-31
Do you ever get to the end of a favorite book or movie and wish there was more? I kind of feel this way as I read our scripture passage for today. The Gospel writer tells us that Jesus did a lot of signs and wonders, more than he has room to tell us about. But why? I wonder. I’d love to read more stories about the awesome acts Jesus did to show himself to his followers in his resurrected body. I’m sure they’d be great stories, don’t you think?
But the Gospel writer tells us that this is far from the point. We don’t need to hear ALL the stories, because we’ve been given enough. We’ve been given enough to believe. We’ve been given enough to believe in Jesus and have life in his name.
Everything in John’s Gospel has told us about the life of Jesus, leaving us with this: We are asked to do something about Jesus. We are asked to believe.
Though we don’t know everything, and though we don’t know all that we might like to know, we have enough to begin to act on our faith right now.
Elizabeth Evans Hagan
Lord, be with me as I walk intentionally through my day. Remind me, no matter what comes to distract me, that you've already given me what I need to believe. Amen.
The saying is sure. I desire that you insist on these things, so that those who have come
To believe in God
May be careful to devote themselves to good works; these things are excellent and profitable to everyone.
Titus 3:8