Yesterday’s excursion was to Edinburgh Zoo. It was a cold start to the day but moving around the zoo kept us warm. Many people travel to zoo’s to see the animals in the flesh. One man I saw reached down to touch the skin of a pygmy hippo – this was my favourite as it looked like a comical overweight walking sausage. Many people went to see the giant pandas, but they just seemed very asleep and didn’t really interest me.
The koalas were the favourite picture for me as their faces just summed it all up. They looked miserable like they had “had-enough”. Of cause this was just their expression falling off to sleep as they all seemed properly taken care of.
The week before some children wanted to sort a problem out over the phone and I advised that they should see the person face to face. I have got many things wrong in the past and I have learned that if there is a problem then the best way to deal with it is to speak to the people concerned in the face.
Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.
John’s farewell greeting is wonderful. It sums this point up entirely, but it also states that when he sees them it will be so that their joy may be full. What a wonderful expression expecting that our joy will be full. I expect that Thomas’ heart must have sank when he heard that he missed Jesus in the first meeting but when Jesus came again to show himself and Thomas could actually reach out and touch Jesus, his joy must have been to the full.
And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”
Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
But Jesus didn’t just leave us to it, he left a helper that would comfort, guide, pray, and be there for us when we needed him. When we accept that we can’t do this alone, we need a greater power to guide us out of sin, then pray to Jesus and He will save you and send the Holy Spirit. The specifics of when the Holy Spirit comes can be argued over, but I believe they come when you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and saviour.
Baptism is an important part of the process as I believe it prepares the body for God’s presence. Whether that baptism has been performed when you were a little baby or later when you came to faith as an adult I do not think it matters as this is an outward sign of an inner grace. I do think though that when I accepted Jesus and gave myself to him, something did happen. It felt like some type of of baptism of joy and forgiveness.
I pray that we may all come to Jesus and experience the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives, through prayer and thanks giving to God for the blessings we are given each day.
Amen
with blessings
Graham
365 Exhortations 