I < 3 Doubting Thomas

[The Midweek Encounter is a ministry of Encounter Church in Kentwood, MI. These posts are reflections on Sunday's message, which can be heard here each week: http://myencounterchurch.org/#/messages-media]

I’ve always felt kind of bad for “Doubting Thomas.” We don’t get many stories about him, and the one we do get is not very flattering. He gets picked on a bit, and you can almost hear the taunts.

“There goes Thomas, not believing what he can’t see…again.

“Oh Thomas, how could you NOT BELIEVE that a guy came back to life after he died? Pffft, get it together, Thomas.”

Sure, Thomas followed Jesus for several years and saw him perform all kinds of signs and wonders, but Jesus was dead now—how could he perform a miracle after he’s dead?

So I guess I feel bad for Thomas because I am him.

I didn’t follow the earthly, flesh-and-blood-and-sweating-and-eating-and-crying Jesus around for three years, but I have followed the heavenly-have-never-actually-seen-him-but-belive-he’s-there-in-all-his-slightly-confusing glory Jesus for a while now. And even still, I doubt him. I doubt he’ll show up, I doubt he’ll do what he said he would, I doubt he can truly love and forgive like he said he would—the all-encompassing, life-changing love.

So I get Thomas. We’d be pals, I think.

Jesus likely knew this about Thomas when he called Thomas to follow him. Maybe not in quite so specific terms, that Thomas would doubt he’d been raised from the dead and would need to be shown the nail holes and sword piercing, but Jesus probably knew there was something in Thomas that made it hard for him to believe.

But Jesus called him anyway. He called Thomas be one the chosen twelve, let Thomas follow him for three years, and invited Thomas sit at the table with him as he ate his last meal.

This sinner, this doubter—dining with Jesus, ultimately being sent out to carry his name to the world.

Because Jesus knew he could overcome all that. When he appeared to the disciples, Jesus didn’t tell Thomas that because of his doubt he was now excluded from the salvation Jesus had brought about. Jesus simply told Thomas to believe. Jesus showed Thomas, “I am God. I overcame death, and I can overcome any other barrier you try to set up between us.” His death tore a curtain in two, allowing the presence of God to spill out from that inner holy place all over the world. He ripped all the curtains, broke all the barriers that stand between us and him. Even doubters and sinners like me and you.

The Thomas in me so needs this reminder. Following Jesus can be so trying, so wearisome, so full of questions and doubts that it feels like we’ll never find our way back to him—and that even if we did, Jesus wouldn’t want us back. But he does. He wanted Thomas, the guy who doubted a miracle even after he had seen them for years, and he wants each of us, too.

It doesn’t matter how far away from him we’ve run or how looming our doubts have become. Jesus was willing to go to his death for us, and he’s willing to find us, meet us, and bring us back from wherever we are.


[Brianna DeWitt believes in Jesus, surrounding yourself with good people, and that desserts are best when they involve chocolate and peanut butter. You can read more of her musings on her own blog or follow her on Twitter @bwitt722.]