Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray with Me”.

The first time Jesus met his disciples after the resurrection, Thomas was absent.

When they told him they’d seen Jesus, he wasn’t convinced. He said, “Whatever! I won’t believe unless I see him alive in the same body he died in. The one with nail scars in the hands and a spear hole in the side” (v 25). 

That’s an odd picture of resurrection. I hope one day when my cremated remains are resurrected, that my body will be changed. Maybe I’ll lose my sagging stomach and  brown age marks. Maybe my friend with an amputated leg will be made whole.

But Jesus accepted Thomas’ assumption that his resurrected body should look just like his buried body, so when he met Thomas, he said, “See my nail-scarred hands? Go ahead . . . touch the spear wound in my side. You can believe it! I’m back from the dead” (20:27). 

Shocked and surprised, Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” (20:28).

Did you hear that? Thomas’ statement in five little words is the simplest, clearest, and most unequivocal statement in John’s gospel that Jesus is God. In one breath, Thomas calls Jesus, “Lord and God.”

This may be the climax of John’s gospel. John wrote about signs and wonders and testimonies that made Jesus special. He called Jesus God’s son, Messiah, good shepherd, bread of life. He wrote about Christ’s miracles, about people worshiping him, and about how he borrowed God’s special name, “I AM”. But now, at last, someone–the doubting disciple, no less–calls Jesus “Lord and God”. That was a God-moment for Thomas.  

And then follows my favorite verse in John’s gospel, when Jesus says to Thomas, “You have seen me and believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet believe” (20:29). 

That’s me. Not seeing Jesus in the physical world, I see him by faith. 

I once said to my mentor, “I’m full of doubts. I don’t have much faith.” 

He replied, “Your faith is evident in the way you live. But in your thinking, if there’s no room for doubt, whatever you have is not faith. It’s knowledge, or something else.” 

Let’s pray. 

O Jesus, I live in the mystery of believing in you whom I have not seen. Of praying to an invisible God. Of feeling the wind of your Spirit, but unable to catch it. 

Thank you for Thomas’ gift of doubt. Thank you for showing him your hands and side. Thank you for inviting him to believe. 

You invite us too. “Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet believe.” For two thousand years your disciples have not seen you, but hope and faith continue. 

Accept our faith. Accept our worship. Accept our service. May our doubts turn ever more to believing, until we see you face to face.

Amen.

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube.