Stop Doubting and Believe

24Now Thomas (also known as Didymus^a ), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25So 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.”

26A 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!” 27Then 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.”

28Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

29Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Thoughts: Doubts are a part of life.  In some ways God created us to doubt.  We should doubt our pride.  We should doubt our selfishness.  We should doubt those who walk among us as wolves in sheep's clothing.  We should doubt our ability to jump off a cliff and fly.  Doubt can be useful if we doubt the right things.  But never in the Bible does it commend doubting God or doubting Jesus.  We should doubt thin ice, but we shouldn't doubt thick ice.  To live in doubt means to live without faith and hope.  So many in our day doubt everything- and because we do not hold truth as a high value, and do not value the idea that God will hold us accountable for untruth, we need to be careful.  But doubting the living Christ keeps us from living in freedom, hope, and peace. 
     Thomas doubted that Jesus rose from the dead- even when he heard the testimony of others.  He had to see for himself.   This is why Jesus said, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."  James 1:6 says, "He who doubts is like the waves of the see tossed to and fro." Doubt keeps us from being steady and going forward.  It just leaves us dead in the water at the mercy of the wind and waves.
       Children do not usually doubt their parents, but trust them.  Perhaps this is why Jesus said, "Unless you become like a little child you will not inherit the kingdom of heaven."  Chrsitianity is not a religion of doubt but a religion of faith.  Without faith, the Bible says, it is impossible to please.  God. For the one who believes must believe that God is, and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him."  (Hebrews 11:6).  

Prayer: Help me Lord, to trust in you, the living God.  Give me grace to believe and not be filled with doubt.  

4-7-15 Blinded by Heartache

24Now Thomas (also known as Didymus^a ), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25So 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.”

26A 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!” 27Then 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.”

28Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

29Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20)

Thoughts: Thomas' pain at the injustice of the world was keeping Him from seeing the reality of the living God.  Many who have faced pain and heartache refuse to believe.  Pain can blind us to hope and to the good around us.  Once again Jesus comes and says, "Peace be with you!"  He wanted Thomas to have peace through his heartache.  The sad thing is that Jesus had the real pain and the real heartache of rejection and injustice.  Thomas' pain was secondary but was important to him.  Pain can also make us shrink back from believing there is hope.  But it is in pain that we need hope the most .  Jesus knew that not everyone who has doubt and pain will have His physical resurrected presence there to make things right.  In our day many refuse to believe until they see.  It is almost as if we have to understand the world in order for us to think it exists.  But we do not live like that.  Most of us cannot build a computer but we can use one.  Most of us do not check our brakes every time we get in the car, but we trust the brakes will work.Most of us do not have to check the solar tables in order to believe the sun will rise.  We live most of our life assuming a steady, believable existence. Those who can believe without seeing are truly blessed.  
Prayer: Lord, bless me with faith that I may believe.