“Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although 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, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." John 20:26-29 ESV
Life has beaten me up more than a few times in my 37 years. You and I can be banged around and beaten up by ever present storms in our lives i.e. job changes (wanted or unwanted), the frailty of health or the health of our loved ones, rejection of those around us, or a failed attempt to do something you have long wanted to accomplish.
That is where the story of Thomas in John's Gospel gives some light on those moments of despair and offers a solution for how we might move forward through them. Growing up in Sunday School, I can remember hearing Thomas being referred to as a "doubter." Little did I know that I would show some of the same behavior in my own life as the world came at me from every side.
I am reminded of Thomas' words to the disciples when Jesus said He was heading back to Bethany to go to Lazarus' grave as recorded in John 11:16, "So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, 'Let us also go, that we may die with Him." He was ready to dive headlong into whatever was to befall the Lord. Experience is a great teacher. And it was their previous trips to Judea that Thomas was referring to. Jesus status was growing among the people and the religious leaders wanted Him dead and gone. Thomas was willing to stand at the side of Jesus, even if it meant his death. And yet after the death and resurrection of Jesus, Thomas wasn't there when the others saw Jesus, and he wouldn't take their word that Jesus was alive. Sound familiar?
And then, in the midst of his swirl of doubt, in walks Jesus. His first words to Thomas, "Peace be with you." He could have chewed Thomas out for not being there or for doubting His word but Jesus didn't do that, not His way. He recognized Thomas' struggle and offered him a way out of it...all he had to do was touch His side.
Doubt. I feel it from time to time. It hits us all from time to time. It can and will knock you down if you let it but the key is to not let it keep you there. It will cause you to lose focus and hope. The enemy uses doubt to get us off track, to take our energy for the day ahead, and steal our joy.
But then Jesus busts in the door, just like He did for Thomas, to keep the doubt from taking a firm root in our hearts. Jesus calls you and I to faith, to a belief that in the end, even when it doesn't always seem like it, a knowledge that we will win. With Jesus we always win.
So friends, live as doubt free as you can and when they start to come around, give them over to God in faith and honesty.
Life has beaten me up more than a few times in my 37 years. You and I can be banged around and beaten up by ever present storms in our lives i.e. job changes (wanted or unwanted), the frailty of health or the health of our loved ones, rejection of those around us, or a failed attempt to do something you have long wanted to accomplish.
That is where the story of Thomas in John's Gospel gives some light on those moments of despair and offers a solution for how we might move forward through them. Growing up in Sunday School, I can remember hearing Thomas being referred to as a "doubter." Little did I know that I would show some of the same behavior in my own life as the world came at me from every side.
I am reminded of Thomas' words to the disciples when Jesus said He was heading back to Bethany to go to Lazarus' grave as recorded in John 11:16, "So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, 'Let us also go, that we may die with Him." He was ready to dive headlong into whatever was to befall the Lord. Experience is a great teacher. And it was their previous trips to Judea that Thomas was referring to. Jesus status was growing among the people and the religious leaders wanted Him dead and gone. Thomas was willing to stand at the side of Jesus, even if it meant his death. And yet after the death and resurrection of Jesus, Thomas wasn't there when the others saw Jesus, and he wouldn't take their word that Jesus was alive. Sound familiar?
And then, in the midst of his swirl of doubt, in walks Jesus. His first words to Thomas, "Peace be with you." He could have chewed Thomas out for not being there or for doubting His word but Jesus didn't do that, not His way. He recognized Thomas' struggle and offered him a way out of it...all he had to do was touch His side.
Doubt. I feel it from time to time. It hits us all from time to time. It can and will knock you down if you let it but the key is to not let it keep you there. It will cause you to lose focus and hope. The enemy uses doubt to get us off track, to take our energy for the day ahead, and steal our joy.
But then Jesus busts in the door, just like He did for Thomas, to keep the doubt from taking a firm root in our hearts. Jesus calls you and I to faith, to a belief that in the end, even when it doesn't always seem like it, a knowledge that we will win. With Jesus we always win.
So friends, live as doubt free as you can and when they start to come around, give them over to God in faith and honesty.
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