But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So 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" (John 20:24-25, NRSV).
THE MAN WHO WASN’T THERE
I have wondered about Thomas
and why would he not believe,
when his friends said, “We’ve seen Jesus!”
Thomas just could not conceive
that his Master could be living
after being crucified,so he laid down the conditions
by which he’d be satisfied:
he would have to see the nail prints
and the wounds in Jesus’ side,
that the soldiers had inflicted
to make certain he had died.
Why would Thomas be the only
one his doubt still to declare?
Because when the Lord appeared the
first time, Thomas wasn’t there!
. . . . SO BE THERE!
When church members are in their own church each Sunday, it’s a bet,
that in matters of the Spirit, all their needs are being met.
If on any given Sunday they decide not to appear,
they may miss the very sermon that they needed most to hear.
Lest one be a doubting Thomas, every Christian must take care,
when the saints have gathered, not to be the one who wasn’t there.
Oh, gosh, I am NEVER there, am fearful to enter a church for the demons running loose. After 37 years, they won. I trust now a bowling alley more than the church. Jesus? The impossible Mystery. I only hope as a child who has seen too much Darkness to have much place for certainty. Leslie Bartlett piano technician.
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