Thomas

Sunday, May 28, 2023

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day: 2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

Memory of the Month: John 10:27-28

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Today's reading: 2 CHRONICLES 4-6 JOHN 10:24-42

Thomas

Thomas said, "“Unless I see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger where the nails have been, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe.” John 20:25

This has been reason for generations to refer to Thomas, 'the twin', as 'doubting' Tomas. His name in both Aramaic and Greek translates 'twin'-but twin to what? We suppose He was born as a twin which matters not as the scripture goes, it was just a name-or was it?

You see, Thomas was a lot like us, or, he displayed rather 'typical human behaviors. In John 11:16, 16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus-'twin') said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

His words were strong and his intentions were great, but He did not die with Jesus. He might have believed he would die with Jesus when he said it but when it came time, he disappeared like all the rest except Peter.

Does this sound like anyone you have ever encountered or heard of? I could be the only one-I could be alone in thinking I have done some of the same things-over and over in my life-but I don't think I am. Thomas is like a great portion of us.

We mean well and have big ideas and great intentions but much of what we say does not happen. We have to say that as we get older we get better. The more we learn and grow, the less pain we endure from failure and sin, but we still sin-we are never perfect on this earth.

Thomas was one of the twelve for the duration of 'Jesus' ministry. He never quit. He reappeared after the crucifixion with all the rest of the followers and saw Jesus. But Thomas had said some things that he did not do.

He had not died with Jesus. But Syrian, Christian tradition tells us that Thomas was martyred for His faith in Christ in India some 40 years after the death of Jesus.

Some of us have great faith in Christ but have little faith in ourselves because we seem to repeat failure after failure.

Ask this question? Why did God have that short line recorded in scripture:“Let us also go, that we may die with him.” Why? Only to have it not happen?

I believe God put such things in scripture for our strength and growth. Why else? Thomas, a doubter he might have been, a liar at some point, a failure at least-but he saw and touched Jesus and eventually died for Christ, 40 years later. It took him a while but Thomas did what he said he would do.

It may remain to be seen in your life but the message in all this is: "It takes a lifetime, some shorter, some longer than others, but picking ourselves up after failure and getting back in the fight is what Jesus asks of us. We must continue to continue-repeat-admit our sin and condition and pray for healing and forgiveness-keep learning to live and live a life of thanksgiving, joy, and prayer.

Patience may be a worldy virtue-but please know-patience is a God given-Holy spirit present in your life-fruit. It is not patience as the world knows it, but patience that comes from the very heart of our God of peace.

We are really not twins with Thomas, maybe, but He was just like us and we are like Thomas-in the race-in the good fight-learning how to pick ourselves up and keep going back to Jesus for it all.

Are you-or are you not?

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

I lose patience-I give in to weakness-I fall. Help me reach for You continuously.

Merciful and patient God of all peace!

In the name of Jesus,

Amen