For thought and meditation

[rl69]

Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." —John 20:27 After Jesus rose from the dead, the Bible tell us that “He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen” (Mark 16:14). These disciples, hearing of the risen Lord appearing to Mary, did not believe. The most vocal of the bunch was Thomas. He said, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25). Eight days later, when the disciples (including Thomas) were meeting behind locked doors, Jesus showed up. And He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” (verse 27). To Thomas’ credit, he declared, “My Lord and my God!” (verse 28). That day, Thomas the skeptic became Thomas the believer. God can take a skeptical person and turn him or her into a believer. How do I know? Because He did it for me. There was no person more skeptical than I was. After all that I had seen and been exposed to, I was very skeptical when I first heard the promises and claims of Christ. The skeptic thinks, “Show me, and I will believe.” But I say, “Believe, and He will show you.” The one who is willing to take that step of faith and believe will be amazed at what God will do. God can change skeptics—if they will come to Him

[USMC87]

Amen, Great lesson.

[square butte]

Appreciate the lesson - I know this one - My given name is Thomas. I was born with the propensity to doubt and to need to see for myself. It's a blessing - and a curse. Thank you Lord for all the gifts You have given me

[EMC45]

Excellent! I was a bitter skeptic, full of hate, anger and the devil. God transformed me and set me on the solid rock!

[Pine Baron]

“Believe, and He will show you.” That's what turned the corner for me.

[Ickisrulz]

It is almost unbelievable when you read the accounts of the disciples' unbelief. If some one were to have made up these events, they sure would have made them up differently.

[Blackwater]

This story always makes me feel a smidgen better when I'm considering how routinely we forget to appreciate and remember what Christ did for us. It seems to be "human nature." We can't seem to focus on more than one thing at a time, and we easily forget things that aren't pressing issues before us. But it's STILL imperative that we remember, and honor what He did on that cross for us. Only incorporating in our daily routine a bit of time to "study to show thyself approved" seems able to counter our natural tendencies. Even the best of intentions fail unless we feed them regularly. It's like watering and fertilizing a garden. When we fail to do so, the garden wilts, and can die. And it certainly can't be as productive as a well tended garden.

The more I really "get" in the advice and instruction He left us, the more I realize just how divinely perfect those admonitions truly are. And it humbles me even more.