"Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe" (John 20:25).

He is known as Doubting Thomas, but it seems to me that Hoping Thomas is a more accurate name for this loyal and inquiring apostle of Christ.  It was Thomas who would have returned to Bethany with Jesus into near-certain death in order to be with Him; Thomas who, during the Last Supper, inquired where Jesus was speaking of going and how he could know the way, and Thomas who was eager to believe that the disciples’ report was true.  They claimed to have seen Christ resurrected and, could it be, this Christ was now standing before him? Perhaps the infamous “Unless I see, I will not believe” was less an expression of doubt and more an expression of hoping against hope.  The invitation was given to see for himself, but before he could reach out his hand he fell to the floor and answered, “My Lord and my God!” 

Revelation comes at His invitation and confirmation is given to those who purpose to see Jesus standing before them at every juncture.  He stands in the midst of our fears, confusions, disappointments and less-than-magnificent moments.  Yet, when doubt assails hope prevails in those who are as ready as Thomas to believe.  Like Thomas, the other disciples needed to see Christ’s hands and side and were glad to believe, but Thomas alone fell down and proclaimed the presence of the Lord. 

Look!  He stands before you now!  Don’t be incredulous, but purpose to see Him.  Fall down and proclaim the presence of the Lord your God even here. 

Author: Carolyn Roehrig

“But when he came out, he could not speak to them...” (Luke 1:22).

Long ago a certain priest, Zacharias, was chosen by lot to burn incense when he went into the temple.  He entered the temple, burned incense at the altar, got alone with God in prayer, and was dumbfounded.  His prayer was heard. 

It is good to get alone with God, but when God gets us alone with Himself it is on His initiative, not ours.  It is good to voice before Him the words we find that fit the soul, but God’s Word leaves us speechless.  It is good to know that God hears our prayers, but be ready to hear God.  Often what God says is more than we can make sense of.  To the divine, “I have spoken; it is so”, there is nothing more to say except, perhaps, “How?”

Inner commotions congregate gregariously at the altar until we are silenced by God’s Word.  Has He left you dumbstruck?  He is getting you absolutely alone with Himself.  Linger long.  You will emerge as Zacharias emerged, saturated and peaced. 

Author: Carolyn Roehrig

"If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water" (John 7:37-38).

Christ was soon to be crucified when he spoke these words.  Are you thirsty for eternal life? Jesus is addressing you, standing and crying out, saying, “Come to Me and drink.”  It is not a drink that profits the flesh, but the spirit, not offered at a feast, but at the cross, not poured from a pitcher, but from His side.  It is the blood of forgiveness and the water of life. 

Crucified, glorified,

The mercy of God flowed from His side. 

Poured forth, from earthen source,

Rivers of living waters course

Out of hearts who believe, out of souls who receive,

Rapid, lively, sweet, free. 

From the river of Eden, dawn of creation,

To the fountain of Christ, promised salvation,

Euphrates and Gihon!

Hiddekel and Pishon!

Praise and elation!  These currents are strong!

Praise and elation!  These names like a song!

Rapid, Lively Running Water, Bursting Forth Sweet on Heaven’s shore,

Fertile Stream, Flowing Freely for ever and ever and ever more!

Author: Carolyn Roehrig

"He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart" (Ecclesiastes 5:20).

Due occasionally is an assessment of our days, but resist the fascination of it.  The fascination is there, and it pulls hard the attachment we have to time and to what occupies.  Set not your heart upon itself.  Intrinsic to a heavy heart is a heart too oft communed with by its self-same soul.  Also, put not time in your heart.  God hasn’t.  While He has made everything beautiful in its time, eternity He has put in our hearts. Time is just the beautiful wrap around it.    

A joyful heart knows that eternity has been put in it, knows its occupation, and knows its heritage.  The task through all our myriad tasks is to rejoice and to do good in our lives.  It is our God-given task.  He means for us to be occupied with it, no excuses.  “I can’t rejoice until this or enjoy because of that” are excuses we give when we forget our heritage.

Our heritage is what God reserves for us.  It is, in part, the power to enjoy what God gives, to accept our appointed lot, and to rejoice in our labor.  It is the gift that fits the task.  Both God-given, God Himself is the correspondent defending our heritage and occupation.  When tried, we may here direct our appeal and receive the verdict of the triune God, “Joy and heart shall ne’er depart!” 

Wonderful proclamation!  It is of God!  Rejoice!   

Author: Carolyn Roehrig

"Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way" (Matthew 2:12).

King Herod instructed the wise men, saying, "Go and search carefully for the young Child."  Searching, they found the Lord.  Presenting their treasures, they found a low position.  A low bend was required, for low was the manger in which He lay.  Lowered and humbly statured, they worshiped Christ and their course was changed.  Being divinely warned, they did not return to Herod, but went another way.  This is the effect of the life of Jesus on those who find Him.  They are humbled; they go another way.

Low and nigh we worship Christ.  Here, any pride in what we have or in who we are is humbled.  The opening of our treasures oft becomes the confession of our poverty.  The One who owns heaven and earth and who is God meets the impoverished confessor with the gift of repentance, that He may be worshiped.  Worship is the livelihood of the repentant.  It is a high calling for which the name "Emmanuel" is the only sufficient response.  "God with us" is a suitable grace for the repentant.  Such recant not, for grace initiates repentance and sustains worship. 

Do, Lord, remind us that our course is changed.  May we never backtrack through Herod's courts, but find grace for the courts of Heaven even this day in this country. 

Author: Carolyn Roehrig

"'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God with us'" (Matthew 1:23).

A virgin in the family way by the Spirit of God, with the Son of God; it makes no earthly sense except to those who say, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord!  Let it be to me according to Your word.”  Those who speak such words know something of what they will exact—humility and courage.  But exacted how?  They leave it to God.  It must be so, for should the how and wherefore be known at once, humility surely would depart and courage would follow it out.  Humility is hedged by God’s omniscience, and courage is captive by God’s omnipresence. 

Hedged and captive, still it was not easy for Mary to be rejected in her hometown, nor Jesus in His; for Mary to travel on a donkey to Bethlehem in her last days of expectation, nor Jesus to Jerusalem in His; for Mary at the end of her time to deliver the Son of God in an earthen stable, nor for the Son of God at the end of His time to be delivered up on a wooden cross; for Mary to place Him in a feeding trough, nor for Jesus to become the bread of life given for the world. 

Yet in that stable and from that trough, what did His infant eyes see when He first looked into Mary’s?  He beheld His maidservant and deliverer, humble and courageous.  The family likeness was unmistakable!  He who came to do the will of God, is conceived in those who would serve Him.  He who came to deliver sinners into salvation, is conceived in those who would offer Him to the unsaved.  He who came, saying, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God,” is conceived in those who have said, “Behold Your maidservant.”  Speak so today, and bear forth Immanuel.

Author: Carloyn Roehrig

“He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit” (Proverbs 17:27).

Serving breakfast this morning, a jar of Gramma's homemade Wild Alaskan Currant jam fell and shattered on the kitchen floor.  (Sorry, Mom!)  The toast wasn’t spread, but the floor was, and praise the Lord, after twenty years of mothering I’m tongue-tied.  I’m sure I gasped, but frankly a gasp, no matter how grand, holds nothing over those verbalizations more difficult to wipe away than shattered glass and sticky jam.    

Everything is not always as we would like it to be.  What is needed when something special has been shattered?  Made a mess of?  When the world’s most powerful scrub-brush and detergent named “Joy” end up in the sink and down the drain?  Apparently we need a calm spirit and to hold our peace and, yes, another joy.  Gotten where?  We are told; from the mouth of God come knowledge and understanding.  

God has spoken; know what He has said.  Knowing His word, we know what to say, what not to say, and get understanding that affects the spirit.  Knowing His word, we know that God is familiar with shatterings, messes, and sticky jams, and that His joy is never drained.  If the answer of our mouths, the calm of our spirits, and our joy come from the offerings of His, then we have what we need.  Go to the mouth of God.

Author: Carolyn Roehrig