Super hyper link

Ok, so I'm trying to blog my rants and thoughts instead of posting them as Facebook status updates. Maybe I need to start two more blogs, one for my faith life and one for economic/political. But really it all kinda braids together into who I am.

Check out this picture:

from http://www.thenewmystics.com/

also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWzgK1LMWzc&feature=player_embedded

I don't pretend to understand it all but I know that the "freaks" are doing it more like Jesus instructed than the people that label themselves as "christians" and try to explain away the miraculous as demonic or something that was only for a certain dispensation, as far as I'm concerned their explaining away the Christ out of Christianity. Whatever, He's not dead - He's the same yesterday, today, and forever!

So back to that picture. Don't get me wrong, I am for what thenewmystics is about; but that painting of Thomas poking at Jesus - that ain't what scripture records. I was reading the gospel of John chapter 20 earlier in the week (recommended homework after Easter service), I got to that part about Thomas and it says:

24But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

25So the other disciples were saying to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."

26After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you."

27Then He said to Thomas, "Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing."

28Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"

29Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed."

That struck me kinda hard when I read that. Thomas said he wouldn't believe unless he stuck his hand inside the wound that the spear had made...

But it never happened - read between the lines and into the thoughts of Thomas and it maybe like "No, no, really I'm ok, you're here - I believe now." Next it flat out says "Thomas answered and said...", not "after probing around a bit to make sure He wasn't a fake" - Thomas got called out and he was in awe. It is so like God, able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart, to "read our mail", He knows and cares - He will confront us on things, and it may be uncomfortable, but I think He just wants us to believe and think right.

Maybe it's just the way John wrote but it reminded me alot of His dealings with Nathanael in chapter 1.