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Day 94 John 20:19 Then, the same day at evening, the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace be with you.” 20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 When He had said this, He breathed on them, and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” 24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples, therefore, said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” He said, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” 26 After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, with the doors shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving but believing.” 28 Thomas answered and said, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed.” 30 Truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. Do you doubt what people tell you because you didn’t see it yourself? When people try to convince you of the validity of what they said, do you tell them the only way you will believe is to see and touch what people told you? After Jesus’ resurrection He came and stood in the room where the disciples were gathered. When the disciples saw Him, they were glad and knew He had risen from the dead and believed. Yet Thomas wasn’t with them. When the disciples told Him what happened, he told them what would make him believe. Jesus came a second time, a week later, and confronted Thomas and his doubt. He offered Thomas the proof he asked for. When Thomas saw Him, he believed. Jesus told him that he believed because he saw Him, but those who never see Him and believe are blessed. Many Christians are like Thomas, doubting what they see and hear until they see for themselves. People call them Doubting Thomases. They need solid proof, or they won’t believe. For those people they need tangible evidence of the reality of their claims. They won’t be glad or blessed any other way. You might wonder what kind of tangible evidence they could receive. The world is full of proof of Jesus’ resurrection and life. Miracles happen every day. When a person who doubted gets caught in the middle of a miracle, then they believe. It could be the recovery of a person with a terminal illness. It could be the miraculous save from certain death. It could be the birth of a child whom the doctors said could not be born healthy and was. Miracles take place every day. You need to open your eyes to what you see and then believe. Or better still, believe before you see proof. Then receive God’s blessings for your faith. Be glad and rejoice with those who received God’s blessings and don’t doubt. You won’t receive blessings when you doubt. Let’s pray: Father, give me faith to believe what people tell me. Let me be glad, rejoicing in their miracle. Do not let doubt enter my mind and heart. Then I will have Your blessings in my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 18 October 2023 by Valerie Routhieaux The image belongs to me.