Doubt…

Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him {Jesus}? No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them. John 7:48 NIV

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Matthew 28:16-17 NIV

Life is the hesitation between an exclamation and a question. Doubt is resolved by a period. Fenando Pessoa

This week, we will explore the less common “Christmas” idea of doubt, because it was and is very much a part of the story as it is a part of all stories. 

Though Israel had witnessed countless miracles over thousands of years and knew hundreds of prophesies about the coming Messiah, most failed to recognize Jesus as Messiah.  In their vast hope of a Savior, they stumbled. The Jewish group who had the most “book knowledge” about the coming hope of Israel, the Pharisees, couldn’t get past their own expectations of what Messiah should look like.  Indeed, they ridiculed those that followed Jesus.  Even some of the disciples, who had witnessed countless miracles and heard Jesus’ teachings struggled to believe.

Yet some of the first believers were Jewish people who overcame doubt and followed Jesus. Though some of the disciples doubted, all eleven present at the ascension went on to spread the faith.  In spite of sometimes doubting, each really knew that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah, and they were willing to commit their lives to sharing that truthful love, even to the point of death. 

Sometimes in the midst of our assured hope, we stumble and doubt. Take heart and know that God is bigger than all our doubts and sees beyond our struggles to our heart.