Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40)
Seeing is believing...
...or is believing seeing...?
In the verse above, Jesus replies to Martha's understandable apprehension to his cry to her to take away the stone that typically sealed off the tomb of a dead person (John 11:38-39). Yikes! What could she expect? Certainly it would be stinky (John 11:39)! But what else? This was not the usual way of doing things!!!
But Jesus was not about to do something predictable...He was about to raise Mary and Martha's brother Lazarus from the grave. He was about to bring life back to the dead...(John 11:41-44)
...but Martha (and the other folks) had to see to believe...(John 11:45)
So what about us? In fact, Jesus's promise to Martha that if she were to only believe she would see God's glory was not just for her, but for us. Throughout His time on earth, Jesus emphasized the significance of believing:
Seeing is believing...
...or is believing seeing...?
In the verse above, Jesus replies to Martha's understandable apprehension to his cry to her to take away the stone that typically sealed off the tomb of a dead person (John 11:38-39). Yikes! What could she expect? Certainly it would be stinky (John 11:39)! But what else? This was not the usual way of doing things!!!
But Jesus was not about to do something predictable...He was about to raise Mary and Martha's brother Lazarus from the grave. He was about to bring life back to the dead...(John 11:41-44)
...but Martha (and the other folks) had to see to believe...(John 11:45)
So what about us? In fact, Jesus's promise to Martha that if she were to only believe she would see God's glory was not just for her, but for us. Throughout His time on earth, Jesus emphasized the significance of believing:
Belief leads to answered prayer: "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." (Mark 11:24)
Belief leads to being healed: But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” (Luke 8:50)
Belief leads to being able to cast out demons: "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons..." (Mark 16:17)
Belief is what God wants us to do: Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” (John 6:29)
Belief enables us to be reborn as children of the Living God, and therefore reconciled to Him: But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13)
Belief leads to being saved and having a revived spirit, resulting in an eternal life with God both now and forever...: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life... (John 3:16)
BELIEVE...
And interestingly, believing...truly believing...in the Lord...the very first mention of it in God's Holy Word...attributes to the one believing, Abraham in this case, righteousness: not being kind and friendly, not any good works on his part, not doing anything other than believing...(Genesis 15:6).
BELIEVE...
Another not-accidental fact is that out of the whole Bible, the reference to believing occurs only 41 times in the Old Testament (prior to Jesus' physical arrival on earth); but after Jesus came, then died for us, then rose again for us...the plea or command or reminder to believe occurs 240 times! As stated above: NO accident.
BELIEVE...
But why should believing (in Jesus) lead to seeing (Jesus)? Is it our belief - like a child who trusts that a fairy tale is actually real - that conjures Him up or gives Him substance? Absolutely not. But it is that same type of almost other-worldly belief that demonstrates a heart inclined toward trusting that what God says is true...that GOD Himself is true, which includes Him sending His Son for us. It is also that (similar, child-like) belief that recognizes that there is something bigger (and oh so much better) than one's self and this natural world we see only with our five physical senses (Luke 18:16-17). And lastly, it is that same belief that presents us open-handed before our wonderful and almighty God, offering everything we are and have, not knowing if we will get anything in exchange, but then receiving in return...Life...Life that is renewed, alive, and increasingly FREED from all those things that tie us to our thoughts, feelings, emotions, and circumstances...Life back from the dead (John 5:24). That is why Jesus said: "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew 16:25)
In the case of Jesus...
Believing IS seeing...
And yet oh how much help we need to truly believe...in fact, this belief IS "other-worldly" and must be supernaturally given, which is why one man cried out to Jesus with tears:
So the very thing that Jesus tells us will enable us to see the glory of God...belief...is also that which He offers to develop in us...all we need to do is recognize our desperate need and then ask.
“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
Do you want to see Jesus?
"Believe" me, there is not a more beautiful sight to behold...
...and all you have to do is ask.
In His Love,
Terri
