ne of the things that really jumps out at you about many of the followers of Christ is how they struggled to grasp that He was truly the Son of God. This is very evident in the life of Thomas in the gospel of John chapter twenty. Thomas may have been a pessimist, or just stubborn. Perhaps he was busy and couldn't get to all the gatherings. He had been chosen as one of the apostles and had been taught by Jesus, but demanded physical evidence of the resurrection. It is clear that Thomas had a trust problem. He wouldn't trust the other apostles or the other witnesses. He said he wouldn't believe until he had felt Jesus' scars for himself. Thomas may not have realized it, but the entire meaning of his life hung in the balance. His unbelief had led him to the edge of uselessness. What is an apostle who doesn't believe in the resurrection? What is a "Christian" with the same problem?

We shouldn't be too critical of Thomas because we are sometimes like him. We know better than to be as honest as he was. But do our lives show that we really believe that Jesus is the literal risen Son of God? How do we show that we are true believers? Do we need to put our finger in the scars of His hand, and our hand on the scar in His side? Are we waiting to be really convinced by something extraordinary? Are the gospels and the testimony of eyewitnesses not enough? Is the blood of martyrs down through the years insufficient for the coldness of our hearts or the stubbornness of our wills? Did the apostles and the others who died because of their faith die as fools? The real question is, "What keeps us from full surrender to Christ?"

When Thomas finally became convinced that Jesus was the living Christ he made a short trip to full faith and obedience. He was empowered to be and do what God had intended. His life became fully focused and his mission was clear. The power we receive when we get real about who Jesus is powers us for life. We get weak in our lives when we get weak in our surrender. The first chapter of John says that Jesus is the "light and the life". If we get very far from Him we are dead and in the dark. If we aren't all about the reality of Jesus resurrection then why have church or faith or even bother? At Hillside Christian Church we are focused on Jesus and what His existence in all its power and grace means to people. Lost people and saved people can't stay the same after encountering the risen Lord.

The contrast between the beliefs of those that caused this week to be forever etched in our minds and those who claim Christ is striking. The case for grace through the blood of Jesus is made weaker or stronger by how we live. Every activity in every church and every choice in our personal lives reflects how we see the reality of the risen Lord. Are we surrendered like Thomas, or are we holding out for a better offer? What will it take?

Let's all offer our thanks to God for those who paid such a high price for simply being free Americans a year ago. Let's remember those who gave tirelessly in the days that followed. Lets continue to seek God's guidance in the healing and leading of our great land. Let's fully surrender to the awesome Savior who introduced the creation to grace through His own death and resurrection. Have you surrendered yet?