He Looks Beyond Our Doubts
When Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to Mary and Martha at the garden tomb first. He said, "Go tell my disciples." Word quickly got out that Jesus was alive. Everyone was so excited! There was great joy among all the disciples—all of them except Thomas, that is. Thomas said, "Hey, wait a minute guys, I'm a believer. I love Jesus. I know He promised that He would come back to life. Yes, I understand those women said that they've seen Him. But unless I see Him with my own eyes, unless I feel the nail prints in His hands, unless I touch the scars in His side, I'm not going to believe."
Now Thomas spent as much time with Jesus as the other believers. You might say he "grew up in church." In other words, he knew all the Scriptures. He knew all the right answers. Deep down he wanted to believe, but his mind was filled with doubts.
A few days later, the disciples were gathered together when all of the sudden, Jesus came walking through the door. At first they thought it was a ghost, but they soon recognized that it was Jesus. What's interesting is that Jesus didn't go over to Peter and say, "Hello." He didn't go over to Matthew and give him a big hug. He didn't go over to John and say, "Hey! I'm back. It's great to see you." No, Jesus headed straight toward Thomas.
He didn't go out of His way to show Himself to the people who had the most faith; instead, He went right over to the one disciple who had the most doubt. Jesus looked Thomas in the eyes and said, "Thomas, I've heard what you've said about Me. I've heard you don't believe. You have questions. You have doubts. And you know what Thomas? That's okay. That's why I've come to you first. Go ahead and feel the nail prints in My hands. Touch the scars on My side. I want to assure you of this, Thomas, I'm a faithful God, and I will do what I have promised."
Today, know that your doubts don't drive God away. He doesn't write us off and close the door. In fact, God is so merciful that those doubts can actually draw Him to us! He loves us so much; He'll do whatever it takes to reveal Himself to us. When we go through things we don't understand, God doesn't expect us to be superhuman. He just wants us to keep looking for Him. He wants us to keep the door of our hearts open. See, Thomas was open. He wanted the truth, and he wanted to find it out for himself.
Today, know that it doesn't matter if you have doubts; it doesn't matter if you have questions because God looks beyond your doubts and sees your heart. He is faithful. He loves you so much and wants to assure you just like He did for Thomas. Keep looking for Him today and know that He will reveal Himself to you!
…I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief! (Mark 9:24, NIV).
When Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to Mary and Martha at the garden tomb first. He said, "Go tell my disciples." Word quickly got out that Jesus was alive. Everyone was so excited! There was great joy among all the disciples—all of them except Thomas, that is. Thomas said, "Hey, wait a minute guys, I'm a believer. I love Jesus. I know He promised that He would come back to life. Yes, I understand those women said that they've seen Him. But unless I see Him with my own eyes, unless I feel the nail prints in His hands, unless I touch the scars in His side, I'm not going to believe."
Now Thomas spent as much time with Jesus as the other believers. You might say he "grew up in church." In other words, he knew all the Scriptures. He knew all the right answers. Deep down he wanted to believe, but his mind was filled with doubts.
A few days later, the disciples were gathered together when all of the sudden, Jesus came walking through the door. At first they thought it was a ghost, but they soon recognized that it was Jesus. What's interesting is that Jesus didn't go over to Peter and say, "Hello." He didn't go over to Matthew and give him a big hug. He didn't go over to John and say, "Hey! I'm back. It's great to see you." No, Jesus headed straight toward Thomas.
He didn't go out of His way to show Himself to the people who had the most faith; instead, He went right over to the one disciple who had the most doubt. Jesus looked Thomas in the eyes and said, "Thomas, I've heard what you've said about Me. I've heard you don't believe. You have questions. You have doubts. And you know what Thomas? That's okay. That's why I've come to you first. Go ahead and feel the nail prints in My hands. Touch the scars on My side. I want to assure you of this, Thomas, I'm a faithful God, and I will do what I have promised."
Today, know that your doubts don't drive God away. He doesn't write us off and close the door. In fact, God is so merciful that those doubts can actually draw Him to us! He loves us so much; He'll do whatever it takes to reveal Himself to us. When we go through things we don't understand, God doesn't expect us to be superhuman. He just wants us to keep looking for Him. He wants us to keep the door of our hearts open. See, Thomas was open. He wanted the truth, and he wanted to find it out for himself.
Today, know that it doesn't matter if you have doubts; it doesn't matter if you have questions because God looks beyond your doubts and sees your heart. He is faithful. He loves you so much and wants to assure you just like He did for Thomas. Keep looking for Him today and know that He will reveal Himself to you!
…I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief! (Mark 9:24, NIV).
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