We know little about revival because few people now living have ever seen a revival. We have not witnessed a great visitation from above–God coming down in a mighty move before which multitudes are moved like wheat fields before a summer wind. There have been such times as in the days of Wesley and the American awakenings. There have been local revivals in churches and on college campuses, but, except for a few survivors of the Welsh or Shantung revivals or similar visitations, all we know about it is secondhand.
Author: Vance Havner
Devotion of the Day
The Beattitude of the “And Yets”
Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed, blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
John 20:29
Thomas could have made a great story of his experience, for few ever had such a privilege as he. But our Lord did not magnify it: rather He magnified the commoner experience of believing without seeing. All of us can claim that beatitude! It is not so glamorous and it does not make a sensational story, but precious in the sight of the Lord are His saints who can relate no amazing experiences but who believe, anyway.
Peter sensed the importance of walking by faith instead of sight when he wrote, ‘Whom having not seen ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”
And yet have believed…yet believing. There was only one Thomas who could put his finger in the nailprints of the Saviour but their number is legion who have believed without seeing. For reasons best known to Himself our Lord sometimes gives extra tokens to one now and then, but it is very evident that He values highly those who get along without them. Ours is the beatitude of the and yets, and it its blessing we carry on until we see Him as He is.