Thoughts on Faith and the Resurrection

This Easter as I sat and listened to the Pastor speak on the Resurrection from 1 Corinthians 15 I found myself reading the story in John 20. Its not that the pastor wasn't preaching a fine message, he was. I just wanted to read the story myself. So I listened with one ear as I read from John.

After Mary Magdeline's initial visit to the empty tomb and report to the disciples, I read of Peter and John's visit to the grave. Peter entered and John looked on from the tomb entrance. I then read these interesting words in John 20:8-9: "Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)"

What caught my eye was the two lines next to each other: "...He saw and believed." followed by "They still did not understand..." Sometimes that is the way of faith. We don't understand completely yet we still believe. At that moment John did not understand all that Christ's death and resurrection meant. He did not understand from the Scriptures that all these events had to take place. What he understood as he looked at the empty tomb and the vacated burial clothes was that Christ had risen from the dead and was no longer to be found in the grave. Death was unable to hold its grip on Him.

That is reassuring to me in my faith journey with God. I may not always understand all that is going on. I will never come to a complete understanding of the Bible (although I hope that I understand it more everyday). But that shouldn't hold me back from a life of trusting dependence on God. I can believe God with what I do know and understand about Him. And I can trust God with what I have to deal with today.

Thank you, Lord, that you don't demand complete understanding from us. You only ask that we trust you with what we know and are dealing with today.