Doubting Thomas - ‘in-a-minute’
Thank you for the encouragement you have given me for these short reflections.
I am posting a couple of ‘in-a-minute’ reflections for a Big Hits Radio which will be broadcast shortly.
I hope this is a blessing.
God Bless
Kelvin<><
“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.” John 20:25
How are you?
There was one of Jesus’ followers who made it into our everyday English language. Thomas, perhaps you know him as ‘Doubting Thomas.’
Tom says what he thinks, he says what many of us think. He says don’t tell me, show me, Tom won’t live by your experience he wants to experience it for himself. I like him.
When Jesus says in John 14, ‘You know where I am going,’ Thomas speaks his mind, ‘Ehh, no, how can we know where you are going.’ And Jesus’ reply was unforgettable: "I am the way the truth and the life no one comes to the Father but by me". I like Thomas. If he hadn’t asked the question (spoke his mind) we wouldn’t have had this unforgettable answer, ‘I am the way.’ I am meaning ‘Only I, myself’ and ‘the way,’ meaning no other way. These four words tell us there is no other way to God the Father or heaven except by knowing and following Jesus.
Do you remember that Tom was absent when the risen Jesus appeared to the disciples. Don’t ask me where he was but he was missing. So doubting Thomas curbed their enthusiasm saying, “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” John 20:25.
Effectively, he was saying, I need proof. Proof from the creator of the universe! One week later Jesus reappeared, as if just for Thomas, and said - ‘Look at my hands.’ Tom was virtually speechless and uttered four memorable words, ‘My Lord, my God.’
Jesus said because you have seen me you believe, blessed are they who have not seen and still believe. Is that you? Christians today haven’t seen but we believe. Or do you still have doubts about Jesus being the only way or the death defeater - I challenge you to harness your doubts.
Look for experience rather than proof, step by faith into the spiritual world of believing in Jesus and you’ll experience him for yourself. That was what Thomas was really about, he wanted to experience Jesus for himself. The good news is Jesus met Tom where he was and then we had another four words, ‘my Lord, my God.’ Harness your doubt and experience Jesus for yourself - there’s a challenge.
God Bless you
