Like Thomas
I claim Jesus as my Lord and my God.

Meet the original doubting Thomas.

The Twin, as he was called by his friends, definitely wasn’t afraid to speak his mind. And he was no wimp, either.

Just a short time after some of the Jewish leaders threatened to arrest Jesus and picked up stones to kill him, Jesus urged his disciples to go back to Jerusalem with him. The apostles all were shaking in their boots—except Thomas, who said to them, “Let’s go, too—and die with Jesus” (John 11:16).

A few days later, while Jesus was presenting some difficult new truths to his disciples, it was Thomas again who spoke up and said, “We haven’t any idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (John 14:5).

So it doesn’t come as a complete surprise when, after Jesus’ resurrection, it’s Thomas who finds it so hard to believe—until he sees Jesus with his own eyes. Suddenly, Thomas’ doubts crumble and he says, “My Lord and my God!”

Scripture and tradition indicate Thomas never again wavered in his faith and trust. With Peter and the other apostles, the Twin proclaimed Jesus as his Lord and his God until his dying day.

While you and I haven’t seen the Lord Jesus with our own eyes, it doesn’t matter. God’s blessings are still ours to enjoy if we’ve heard the Good News and placed our trust in Jesus (1 Peter 1:8-9).

FURTHER STUDY: The 20th chapter of John's gospel.


Detail from painting by Raphael, c. 1518

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This excerpt is from the Living Faith™ Bible (Tyndale House Publishers)
Copyright © 2003, 2000 David and Renée Sanford