January 18, 2016
"Then He said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here and observe My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Don't be an unbeliever, but a believer.' Thomas responded to Him, 'My Lord and my God!' Jesus said, 'Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Those who believe without seeing are blessed.'" (John 20: 27-29)
I have read this many times and thought, as many have, that Thomas was rightfully referred to as Doubting Thomas. He demanded proof that it was truly Jesus that was standing before him. He had already stated in John 20:25 that he must see and touch the scars in Jesus' hands and feet and side if he was going to believe for himself. But I had never considered that Jesus had already graciously, and without request, shown the other 10 disciples His wounds (John 20:20). Thomas was not a doubter; he simply wanted to see what the others had been shown. He wanted what they had been given, something that Jesus chose to reveal to them when he was absent from the group.
Because I can see these verses in a different light today, I am also able to discern that Jesus was not differentiating between Thomas (the one who had to see to believe) and the 10 disciples (the ones who believed because they had seen), but instead was pointing to their commonality. All 11 of the disciples were given the great privilege of seeing the marks on Jesus that proved to them He was truly their Messiah. This was a great help to their faith. When Jesus then refers to "those who believe without seeing," He was speaking of all the believers who would not see the nail and sword scars until they met Him in Heaven.
Seeing the scars or not seeing the scars is not the point. The point is whether or not we have come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the Living God. The believer's response to Jesus is will always be the same, whether in the 1st century (seeing) or the 21st century (not yet seeing). It will always be, "My Lord and my God!" This is the statement of the one who believes. The blessing comes to all who believe!
PRAYER
Oh Lord, what joy it must have been to have witnessed Your resurrected body! Who could have not believed who saw You after Your death and burial! Yet today I see You with my spiritual eyes and believe You are Messiah, and You are my Savior, and You are my Lord God and my soon coming King! I have believed without seeing with my eyes. I see with my heart. Oh Jesus, my precious sacrificial Lamb, how I thank You for taking on Your body what I deserve. You took my blows, my crown of thorns, my humiliation, my 39 lashes, my crucifixion scars, and my death for sin. I am overwhelmed to think of it, but my thoughts turn quickly to gratitude that You would seek me out and find me. I am grateful for the Holy Spirit who called me to You. I am grateful to be adopted and grafted into Your family. I am grateful that though not of Your chosen race, I am loved as if I was. I am forever grateful that all my sin no longer is able to be judged by You, but instead it has been washed away by the blood of Your sacrifice. "Thank You" will never truly convey what my heart feels right now. I can only worship You for who You are. . . thanking You for all You have done.
"Then He said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here and observe My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Don't be an unbeliever, but a believer.' Thomas responded to Him, 'My Lord and my God!' Jesus said, 'Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Those who believe without seeing are blessed.'" (John 20: 27-29)
I have read this many times and thought, as many have, that Thomas was rightfully referred to as Doubting Thomas. He demanded proof that it was truly Jesus that was standing before him. He had already stated in John 20:25 that he must see and touch the scars in Jesus' hands and feet and side if he was going to believe for himself. But I had never considered that Jesus had already graciously, and without request, shown the other 10 disciples His wounds (John 20:20). Thomas was not a doubter; he simply wanted to see what the others had been shown. He wanted what they had been given, something that Jesus chose to reveal to them when he was absent from the group.
Because I can see these verses in a different light today, I am also able to discern that Jesus was not differentiating between Thomas (the one who had to see to believe) and the 10 disciples (the ones who believed because they had seen), but instead was pointing to their commonality. All 11 of the disciples were given the great privilege of seeing the marks on Jesus that proved to them He was truly their Messiah. This was a great help to their faith. When Jesus then refers to "those who believe without seeing," He was speaking of all the believers who would not see the nail and sword scars until they met Him in Heaven.
Seeing the scars or not seeing the scars is not the point. The point is whether or not we have come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the Living God. The believer's response to Jesus is will always be the same, whether in the 1st century (seeing) or the 21st century (not yet seeing). It will always be, "My Lord and my God!" This is the statement of the one who believes. The blessing comes to all who believe!
PRAYER
Oh Lord, what joy it must have been to have witnessed Your resurrected body! Who could have not believed who saw You after Your death and burial! Yet today I see You with my spiritual eyes and believe You are Messiah, and You are my Savior, and You are my Lord God and my soon coming King! I have believed without seeing with my eyes. I see with my heart. Oh Jesus, my precious sacrificial Lamb, how I thank You for taking on Your body what I deserve. You took my blows, my crown of thorns, my humiliation, my 39 lashes, my crucifixion scars, and my death for sin. I am overwhelmed to think of it, but my thoughts turn quickly to gratitude that You would seek me out and find me. I am grateful for the Holy Spirit who called me to You. I am grateful to be adopted and grafted into Your family. I am grateful that though not of Your chosen race, I am loved as if I was. I am forever grateful that all my sin no longer is able to be judged by You, but instead it has been washed away by the blood of Your sacrifice. "Thank You" will never truly convey what my heart feels right now. I can only worship You for who You are. . . thanking You for all You have done.
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