John 20:19-31
Let’s continue to pray for Jim and Marty.
“Notice what you notice.” It’s Christmas night. I’ve been thinking all day about what I wanted to post tonight, but with family and food and phone interruptions I haven’t had the chance to sit down and say it. But finally, 9:20 pm, I find the time!
Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. (v. 26) I’m sure I’ve seen it before, but EIGHT DAYS LATER…!! We’re talking from Resurrection Sunday to Monday a week later. All that time the disciples have known what they saw (as I posted yesterday), but Thomas was not with them. It could have been the case that Thomas was off on a business trip and only first returned eight days later. But I imagine more likely that he has been with them most of this time. And during this time the other disciples are sharing with Thomas as to what they saw and he is not believing them. No matter what all the other ten say, Thomas is firm: “Unless I see in His hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into His side, I will never believe.” (v. 25) So I’m imagining the conversations that the others are having with Thomas. And still he is not believing!
So I’m thinking of my brother Richard (Dickie). Carol and I have shared with him on so many occasions sometimes lightly, sometimes forcefully – and he still resists – no matter what we say. He holds on to his mantra: “Unless you can prove to me that there is a God, there is no point in me believing anything spiritual about Jesus”. So what can we do? Pray and wait, wait and pray. And keep sharing. Just as Jesus made a special appearance to Thomas, His Holy Spirit can make a special appearance to Dickie. We pray. And you just need to pray too, for yours…!
Slava Bohu!