Josh and Brian settled into their seats in the cafeteria. Brian bowed his head for a moment before lifting his hamburger to his mouth.

            “What was that?” Josh asked.

            “Just thanking God for my food. He’s taken such good care of me, I like to make it a point to thank Him,” Brian said.

            “You sure do have a lot of faith,” Josh said. “I don’t get why you’re so sure God exists.”
            “You don’t believe in God?”

             “If I saw a miracle or something, then I’d believe in God,” Josh said, taking a bite of his hamburger.

              Brian leaned back against the booth. “Yeah, I’ve heard that before, but it’s not true.”

              Josh blinked. “What do you mean? Seeing a miracle would be proof. I don’t understand why God tries to be all secretive. Why wouldn’t He make it obvious He exists?”

             “The very fact that you have been created is evidence that God exists,” Brian said. “Look around you at all the wonders of nature. The huge variety of plants and animals, the amazing complexity of nature… All of it is proof of God.”

             “Nah, all of that came from evolution,” Josh said. “If your Bible is true, then God did all kinds of amazing miracles. Why did he stop doing them?”

             “He didn’t,” Brian said. He dipped a fry into ketchup and popped it into his mouth. “He’s still doing miracles today. People unexplainably get healed all the time.”

             “It’s too vague,” Josh said. “If God did something obvious, then I would have to believe. Something that couldn’t be some random chance of nature.”

             “OK,” Brian said, rubbing his chin. “What if someone came to you claiming to speak for God, and then told you what God was planning to do? Then that exact thing happened. Not once, but 10 times, each exactly the way you were told. And I’m talking big things, like changing water into blood.”

             “Well, sure, no one would doubt that,” Josh said. “What are you trying to say?”
            “That exact thing happened to Pharaoh in the Bible. God told Pharaoh through Moses all the plagues He would send if he didn’t let His people go. And each plague happened just as God said it would. And He ended each plague just as well. But even with all that proof that God was in control, Pharoah still wouldn’t listen.”

            “That’s a bad example,” Josh said. “That didn’t mean Pharaoh didn’t believe in God, it just meant he didn’t want to do what God said.”

            “OK, that’s true.” Brian set his glass down on the table and folded his arms. “What about Jesus?”

            “What about him?”

            “Do you think if you saw Jesus perform miracles, you’d believe he was the Son of God? A front-row seat to him raising people from the dead, giving sight to the blind, giving hearing to the deaf, and casting out demons?”
            Josh nodded. “Sure. Like I said, seeing is believing. If I saw Jesus doing all those things, I’d be the best little Christian ever. There’s no way someone could see all that and not follow Jesus.”

           “Again, I have to disagree,” Brian said. “Judas spent three years with Jesus. He saw him perform all the miracles, heard all his teachings, and in the end, betrayed him. He didn’t become a Christian.”

           Josh stared down at his lunch, silent for a few moments. “Huh. I’m not sure what to make of that. If that were all a made-up story, why would they have included something like that? It certainly doesn’t help their case.”
            “There are a lot of examples in the Bible of things like that. The mistakes of many of the Biblical greats are on full display. I personally find it helpful to know that even the heroes of the faith struggled with some very real sins. It makes me feel better that when I mess up I know I can be forgiven because they were forgiven.”

            “So it’s not about seeing.”

            “No. Seeing is seeing, and believing is believing. In fact, Jesus said ‘Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’” Brian pointed at Josh. “You have a choice. We’re all presented with the same evidence. It’s about what you choose to do with that evidence. You’re right, though. God does want us to have faith. He gives us enough evidence to make it clear He’s real, but He wants us to make the choice. He won’t force us to believe. We have to choose. The only real question is, what will you choose?”

John 20: 24-30   Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.  So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

God, thank You for making Yourself evident to us. We are truly blessed to believe in You. You tell us to always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks us to give the reason for the hope that we have. Please give us the words to say, and the opportunities to reach out to those in our lives who have questions. Help us to be bold and not ashamed of our faith. Thank You for surrounding us with those who need to hear about You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.