Doubting Thomas

Belief or doubt: which camp are you in these days? Life is difficult, battering and bruising our faith. Mark 9:24 hit the nail on the head: “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.” Feeling some unbelief lately? It’s not hopeless.

Out of the motley group of disciples, I believe Jesus purposely chose Thomas. He’s the apostolic ambassador of skepticism, isn’t he? Hanging out with Jesus, day in, day out, seeing numerous miracles, getting to know Jesus, you would think that’d be enough for Thomas to believe Jesus could do what He said. That even included rising from the dead. But skeptical, human Thomas went logical after Jesus died, instead of believing; he gave up hope. He, in fact, stood his stubborn ground:


“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.’”
John 20:25

Great attitude, huh? But who could blame him. After all, we’re talking death here. So, Thomas, the disciple, became Thomas, the doubter. But wait. The story ain’t over yet…

“A week later Jesus' disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’"
John 20:26

Ta-dah! Well, here He is, right in front of you, Thomas. Gotta believe now, right? Er, maybe not. Jesus knew exactly where Thomas stood, So, He gave him an opportunity to see for himself that Jesus was alive.

“Then Jesus said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Take your hand, and put it into my side…”
John 20:27

But Jesus followed it up with a choice…
“…Stop doubting, and believe.’"
John 20:27

Thomas, like each of us, has a choice: belief or doubt. God’s never intimidated by our decision. He’ll work with us, mercifully help and guide us, but we need to ask ourselves, if we choose doubt, just how great is that working for us?” It takes just as much energy to doubt as it does to believe. Doubt gets us zilch, with the exception of heartache and confusion (God’s not the originator of that ). But belief in God gets us possibility, beyond our wildest dreams!

“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’”
Matthew 19:26

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”
Ephesians 3:20

But it all comes back to what Doubting Thomas finally accepted…
“Thomas responded to Jesus, ‘My Lord and my God!’"
John 20:28

Is He our Lord and God or is doubt? We’re all like doubting Thomas, from time to time. But God’s inviting us to choose belief not doubt. Will we accept?