Do We Truly Believe?

I've skipped over to the New Testament during this time of Lent and hopefully will get back to the Old Testament soon.  But it has been very interesting reading about Jesus and the Jews and in general how they treated him.  I think sometimes we forget that to the Jews, Jesus was this man with whom they had grown up.  He was a normal person with a mom and a dad.  And then, he was proclaiming to be the Son of God.  He proclaimed that he had once been in Heaven with God.  And, ultimately, he was proclaiming to be Christ.

I tend to gloss over readings like this thinking that the Jews were fools.  How could they not believe?  But then, if I really put myself in the Jew's place... this familiar person was proclaiming to be the Christ.  Maybe I would have been skeptical too.  Jesus is very harsh with them saying in John 5:39, "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life.  These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life."  The Jews had read about Jesus.  He was fulfilling scripture & performing miracles right before their eyes, and yet they couldn't see.

Today, the scripture still hasn't completely been fulfilled, the savior has not come back again, and all of the terrible things that are to come haven't happened.  And thus, it is impossible to see God's Kingdom in its entirety. But, if we read the Bible carefully, and if we believe it, we should see more clearly than the Jews did.  God has made promises to us as believers.  We must be able to see what God does for us every day.  And then, we must remember. In John 3:3 Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again."  My question is do we see the Kingdom? Do we see the pieces of the Kingdom that God reveals to us on earth?  Will we one day be able to see it in its fulness?  Do we truly believe?  Or, are we like the Jews, staring at Jesus right in His face and yet still doubting? We've seen his glorious miracles, yet we still don't completely lean into Him because we don't understand Him fully?  We've read about what He will do, yet we try to control the situation?

May God replenish us by keeping us in His word.  May God fill us with the hope that is found by reading His word each day.  May God help us to cling to His promises, thus allowing us to live out His will with a fulness of trust, faith and humility.  

To God be the Glory Forever. Amen.

Ephesians 1:17-18
I pray  that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.