In the gospel of John we read the story of the man who is known as Doubting Thomas. John 20:19-31 many of us have forgotten that Thomas was also the man who said let us go with him even if it means our death. That is a paraphrase, but it was basically what he said when Jesus said it was time to go to Bethany for Lazarus had died.

Thomas was not present when Jesus came to the other disciples in the upper room, when the disciples told him they had seen Jesus, well he doubted their word. Can you honestly say that you would not have asked the same questions that Thomas asked? The others claim to have seen Jesus in the flesh, Thomas said that he did not believe them, simply because they had been witness to the happening, and he was not. He might have thought they suffered a group hallucination, or maybe they did see something but it couldn’t have been the Master. Thomas had witnessed the crucifixion, he knew that Jesus had died.

I don’t think there are very many folks who have become Christians, followers of Christ, that can say they have never had any doubts. We all come up against that wall at one time or another, God, we ask, why me? I have been a good person, why is this happening to me? We wonder why God allows bad things to happen, war, pestilence, on and on. Yet God also allows good things to happen, and we don’t question that one do we? Thomas wanted to believe, but, well, he wanted proof for himself, just as the others had proof. We are not much different today, we want to be able to see, touch and feel, but sometimes, we must step out in faith.

So where did Thomas end up? We have some proof that he ended his life in India, that he started 7 churches there and that they are still in existence today, still teaching the gospel message, 2000 years later. Thomas is credited with baptizing kings and commoners across the North and South of India. Of course there is also the truth that Thomas was killed by a spear thrust in his side in India and that his bones were transmitted to a place called Urhai, today known as Edessa. The best part of this story is that Jesus comes back into the upper room a week later, just for Thomas. When Thomas confesses him as Lord, Jesus says, it is great that you believe because you have seen, but blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. That is the wondrous grace of God, Jesus came back because he wanted his people to be whole, he is still coming back today, not in the flesh as then, but rather in those people who have believed without having seen. Each of us has the opportunity to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, to know Him and his will for our lives.  If you do not know Christ as your Lord and Savior, we invite you to make him a part of your life today. He only waits for you to say yes, he is waiting.