Jesus said to [Thomas], “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” (John 20:29, NASB)
Two years ago most of the golf world, including Tiger himself, believed Woods’ days of winning major championships was over. However, after his impressive performances at the final two majors last year and his victory at the Tour Championship, many were back on the Tiger bandwagon going into this year’s Masters Tournament. I have to admit, though I thought it was possible for him to win, I wasn’t convinced he could get it done until Tiger needed only two putts from less than 20 feet to win.
I understand how it can take seeing to believe in the miraculous. If it was not for me watching the tournament and knowing it is secured in the record books, I would not believe it if you told me two years ago that Tiger would claim his 15th major at the 2019 Masters.
I think Thomas struggled to believe in the resurrection without seeing because that would mean that he could make no excuses for not following through in obedience to Jesus.This was the case with the disciple Thomas in John’s Gospel. He was not with the other disciples when the Lord appeared to them hours after his resurrection. After hearing the amazing report of him appearing to the others, Thomas said he would not believe unless he could see the resurrected Jesus and touch his wounds. Eight days later, Jesus did this very thing for Thomas and spoke to the disciple as we find in today’s verse.
As incredible as this year’s Masters was, it would be far harder for me to believe in someone raised from the dead after three days in the grave without seeing it for myself. However, Thomas did see Jesus walk on water; heal the blind, ill, and lame; feed thousands with a few loaves of bread and a couple fish; and, oh yeah, raise Lazarus from the dead after he had been in the grave for four days. So I’m not sure his doubt was about the miracle itself.
It was Thomas who said when the other disciples were worried for their safety to go to the town near Jerusalem where Lazaras resided, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him” (John 11:16). Thomas was faithfully committed to his rabbi, and there is no reason to think Thomas might believe that God could not do the Easter miracle after seeing all the signs, wonders, and miracles that he had over the previous three years. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead was not an unprecedented event in the Scriptures; however, what this one did for us is.
I do not believe that it was Thomas’ disbelief in the possibility of the miraculous that caused his doubt; I believe it was his recognition of what it meant for him personally that was so hard to believe. It meant that everything else Jesus had said in his presence must also hold true. I think Thomas struggled to believe in the resurrection without seeing because that would mean that he could make no excuses for not following through in obedience to Jesus.
Let us be honest. Our problem is not believing in the miraculous; it is believing in what the miraculous means for us. We know there is a God. We pray for miracles often when we have nowhere else to turn. So, despite believing in a God who can defy the laws of physics, often the greatest thing that gets in the way of our faith’s maturing is fully accepting what came with the greatest of miracles—the life-giving invitation of intimacy with God that comes when we put complete faith in the resurrection of Jesus. Can you believe in the personal love and grace of the Creator God? Or like Thomas probably felt, is it too good to be true?
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Josh Nelson
April 16, 2019
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The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
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