John 20:24-31: a reflection

24But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, wasn’t with them when Jesus came. 25The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 26After eight days, again his disciples were inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being locked, and stood in the middle, and said, “Peace be to you.” 27Then he said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.” 28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” 30Therefore Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book; 31but 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.

When Thomas, who was absent when the risen Jesus first appeared, refuses to believe unless he sees and touches the wounds himself, Jesus does not condemn him but comes to meet his doubt. Reach here your finger, and see my hands, Jesus says; reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don't be unbelieving, but believing. Christ came and offered Thomas the very proof he had demanded, addressing his doubt gently, meeting him where he was rather than shutting him out for doubting. And Thomas, meeting the risen Christ, believed: My Lord and my God! Christ met the doubter with patience, offering him what he needed to come to faith.

Notice how Christ met Thomas's doubt: not with condemnation, but with patient provision. Thomas had said he would not believe without proof; and rather than rejecting him for his doubt, Christ came and offered him the very proof he asked for, inviting him to see and touch, gently urging him not to be unbelieving but believing. Christ did not shut the doubter out; he met him, addressed his doubt, provided what he needed to believe. The patience of Christ toward Thomas's doubt brought him to a great confession of faith. Christ met the doubter gently, not condemning the doubt but meeting it, leading Thomas from doubt to faith. He came to where Thomas was and drew him on.

That is worth taking to heart, for Christ can meet our doubts gently, not condemning but leading us toward faith. When we doubt, struggle to believe, feel unable to trust without more than we have, we can fear that our doubt shuts us out from Christ; but Christ met Thomas's doubt gently, coming to him, addressing it, leading him to faith. Christ does not condemn the honest doubter but meets him. When you doubt and struggle to believe, do not think your doubt shuts you out from Christ; he can meet you gently in it, as he met Thomas, and lead you toward faith. Bring your doubts to Christ, who meets the doubter gently rather than condemning, and can lead you from doubt to faith, as he came to Thomas and offered him what he needed, drawing from him the confession, my Lord and my God; for Christ does not shut out the honest doubter but meets him with patience, and can lead us through our doubts to a deeper faith.

Lord Jesus, when Thomas, who was absent when you first appeared risen, refuses to believe unless he sees and touches the wounds himself, you do not condemn him but come to meet his doubt. Reach here your finger, and see my hands, you say; reach here your hand, and put it into my side; don't be unbelieving, but believing. You came and offered Thomas the very proof he had demanded, addressing his doubt gently, meeting him where he was rather than shutting him out. And Thomas, meeting you risen, believed: my Lord and my God! Show me how you met Thomas's doubt: not with condemnation, but with patient provision. Thomas had said he would not believe without proof; and rather than rejecting him, you came and offered him the very proof he asked for, gently urging him not to be unbelieving but believing. You did not shut the doubter out; you met him, addressed his doubt, provided what he needed to believe. Your patience toward Thomas's doubt brought him to a great confession of faith. You met the doubter gently, leading Thomas from doubt to faith. Take that to my heart, for you can meet my doubts gently, not condemning but leading me toward faith. When I doubt, struggle to believe, feel unable to trust without more than I have, I can fear that my doubt shuts me out from you; but you met Thomas's doubt gently, leading him to faith. You do not condemn the honest doubter but meet him. When I doubt and struggle to believe, keep me from thinking my doubt shuts me out from you; you can meet me gently in it, Lord, as you met Thomas. Help me bring my doubts to you, who meet the doubter gently, and lead me from doubt to faith, drawing from me the confession, my Lord and my God.