In the Bible, we have lots of defined good and bad characters. You think of Abraham, you think faithful, you think of David you think man after God’s own heart (minus the Bathsheba thing). You think King Saul, greed and arrogant comes to mind. Judas was obviously a betrayer, Jonah a coward. Defined characters, defined qualities, black and white conclusions, BUT that is not always true. One character that seems to be thought of in a negative way is Thomas or as we like to call him “Doubting Thomas”.
John chapter 20- has this passage. 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.” This passage gives Thomas his undesired nickname. Yet, I think in my own personal opinion that Thomas is not unlike a lot of us and to some extent all of us. We could all find times in our lives that we haven’t believed as faithfully as we should. I mean if we had no doubts in our lives, I am positive that we would be moving more mountains than as Christians we are today. Still, I don’t want to focus on Thomas’s doubting I want to look as his approach to what he believed. Thomas spent 3 plus years with Jesus, he witnessed miracles beyond our imagination and he completely whole heart involved loved Jesus. I would imagine Thomas just figured Jesus would hop off that cross and start his kingdom as soon as Jesus spoke “It is Finished”. Thomas probably put all his hopes in the fact that Jesus would instantly prove all the unbelievers wrong. When that didn’t happen Thomas doubted just as we sometimes doubt when things don’t work out the way we intended them to. Still, Thomas sought to find the answer and he didn’t just believe because the other disciples told him so, he went out to find it on his own. He didn’t believe whole again until he reached out and touched Jesus. He was determined to understand Jesus. What if we had such determination in our lives? What if we didn’t stop studying, pursing, desiring until we touch Jesus, until we feel Jesus, what if we continued wanting Jesus from this day forward? What if we started putting him first each and every day? What if we kicked our doubts away? I mean Thomas doubted no more after that day, he eventually died a martyrs death and never again denied his faith. What if on this day we allow the Lord to convict our hearts and take away all our doubts? What if instead of being a doubting Thomas, we become that determined Thomas? What if…………………….?
Gs4G