Have you heard the saying that seeing is believing? It is hard to dispute visual evidence, but have you not seen video clips that show things that didn’t really happen? Camera tricks and editing techniques allow the creation of false images so you can’t always believe what you see. I spoke to the issue of seeing and believing with my own disciple Thomas. He wouldn’t believe until he saw and felt me, but then he did. I did not condemn him for this, but said that those who had not seen and yet had believed were blessed for this. The uncertainty of visual images today reinforces that believing is stronger than seeing. 

Depending on your upbringing, you may have thought that your church did things the only right way. As you grew in spiritual maturity and encountered other churches you may have thought that your church still did things the best way. Are you willing to take another step of spiritual maturity and realize that your church does things one way without assigning ranks of better and worse? My word teaches you that when you take communion you are to discern My Body, and this will help you to see my Body as a single entity. Do you believe that there is one true church? You are right, but it is mine rather than yours. 

I said that those who hunger and thirst after righteousness were blessed because they would be filled. How hungry are you? A woman came to me on behalf of her daughter. She was an outsider to the nation of Israel and I told her that I was sent to the Israelites, saying that it wasn’t appropriate to take the children’s bread and give it to dogs. Can you believe I made such an insulting statement? Yet the woman endured the insult and said that dogs got the crumbs that fell from the table. I commended her for her faith and her hunger that would not be denied and healed her daughter. Are you hungry enough for righteousness to endure opposition to get it? 

I promised that if you seek you would find. Have you ever looked for something? Do you understand that there are various types of searches? A tourist may wander around looking for interesting sights or a good vantage point for taking a picture. If you have ever lost your car keys the concept of a search takes on greater focus and urgency. You can’t proceed with your life the way you want to until you find them. Your spiritual life is a journey into an unknown future rather than a search for something that was in your pocket a few minutes ago. Do you still see it as essential to moving forward in life?