Seeing Is Believing?

The claim is often made that "seeing is believing". Perhaps that makes us think of the struggle of Thomas following Jesus' resurrection. Though the other disciples told him they had seen Jesus, he needed to see and touch for himself. ( John 20:25) Fortunately when he saw, he DID BELIEVE! ( John 20:27-28) Sadly, seeing did not (and does not) always produce that same response! On more than one occasion people asked Jesus for a sign so that they could "see and believe." (i.e. John 6:30) However, it seems that no matter the sign, there were those who just would not be convinced! Even when Jesus was on the cross there were mockers who challenged that if they saw Him come down from the cross, then they would believe. ( Mark 15:32) Acknowledging Jesus' power to heal (i.e. Luke 6:7), seeing it, and witnessing even the raising of the dead (i.e. John 11:45-46) was not enough to convince some of the truth relative to Jesus! Though the miracles were not be denied, what was the problem? Actually one that has been around for centuries.

Consider again a psalm we noted a few days ago.
"(7) ... Today, if you hear his voice, (8) DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, (9) when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, THOUGH THEY HAD SEEN MY WORK. (10) For forty years I loathed that generation and said, 'They are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways.'" ( Psalm 95:7b-10 ESV)

The psalmist focused back on the time of Israel's wilderness wandering and the HARD HEARTS that again and again rebelled against God. During the first century of the church, the Hebrew writer also urged those to whom he wrote to not make the same tragic mistake. ( Hebrews 3:7-12) When the HEART IS HARDENED -- when one really does not want to believe -- it matters not the proofs provided or the signs seen, unbelief will prevail! Like hard ground that will not receive the seed that could otherwise germinate and grow, so is the HARD HEART toward the truth of God.

It is in believing God and what He has revealed that we are able to see. May our HEART REMAIN OPEN to God so that our eyes will continue seeing as they ought.

Have a great day KEEPING THE EYES OF OUR HEART OPEN!
Carl

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