John 20:19-31 (NRSV)
Read John 20:19-31 on biblegateway.com
Verse 19When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Verse 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Verse 21Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." Verse 22When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Verse 23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." Verse 24But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. Verse 25So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."
Verse 26A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Verse 27Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Verse 28Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Verse 29Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." Verse 30Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. Verse 31But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
Devotion
I think many of us scoff at "Doubting Thomas": "How can he call himself a disciple and not get it?" But Thomas isn't alone in his doubt. Let's be honest and ask ourselves how Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection have impacted our daily lives. How does our life reflect this astonishing act of God's grace? How it changed us? If the answer is that our lives haven't changed because of this event, are we any different than Thomas? Do we doubt any less?
But Christ can pass through even our doubts, as he did the locked door of the upper room! Christ can reach us as he did Thomas: "Do not be unbelieving, but believe." If we don't insist on clinging to our doubts and questions, they can be stepping-stones to belief and a genuine part of our faith walk with Christ. This Easter, how is Christ asking you to change, to engage your faith in different ways?
Prayer
Dear God, help me by your risen presence step from doubt into whole-hearted belief, to become the person of faith you have created and need me to be. Amen.