Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: "Apostle Tom" <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 18:35:43 -0500
To: pressingon@hotmail.com
Subject: Morning Manna (Apr. 22); BP: Jn. 20:26-29; RBTTY: Lk. 17:1-19; II Sam.14-15
April 22 “Lord, I Believe”
“And after eight days again His disciples were within and Thomas was with
them; then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst and
said, ‘Peace be unto you.’ Then said He to Thomas, ‘Reach here your finger
and behold My hands. And reach here your hand and thrust it into My
side—and be not faithless, but believing.’ And Thomas answered and said
unto Him, ‘My Lord and my God.’ Jesus said unto him, ‘Thomas, because you
have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are they that have not seen and yet
have believed’.”
John 20:26-29
He has a way of meeting us where we are and moving us to where we need
to be.
Those eight days from the first time Jesus appeared to His disciples
until today’s Manna must have seemed like an eternity to Thomas. He felt so
“left out” as the other disciples “compared notes” about Jesus’ appearance
to them. How he regretted not having been present that night (v.24) and
longed to see his Savior firsthand.
Thus, we shouldn’t be surprised that Jesus once again suddenly appeared
in their midst—and once again said the same words to them that He’d said the
first time (vv.19-21). Such was the nature of this Prince of Peace.
However, it’s quite possible He reduplicated His greeting more for the sake
of Thomas than the others.
It’s also interesting that our Lord immediately focused His attention
on Thomas during that appearance. He knew what he’d said eight days ago
(v.25). He knew his insistence on seeing and touching His hands and side.
That’s why He said what He did when He stood before this startled Apostle.
But, the weeping “Twin” didn’t need to touch those still-tender wounds.
The sight of his Risen Lord caused him to give the cry of the ages: “My
Lord and my God!” For Thomas, Jesus was no longer a great Teacher or
“mighty prophet in word and deed” (Lk. 24:19); instead, He was “HIS Lord and
HIS God.” Hallelujah!!
Oh, dear Pilgrim, when Christ really “comes alive” in our own lives, He
becomes both a personal and powerful Reality for us. No longer do we need
someone to tell us about Him, what He’s done for us or what He can do for
us, etc. A thousand times no! Instead, we can boldly stand and declare
with great confidence, “This is what Jesus has done in my life—and I know He
can do it in yours too!”
How wonderful it is when we can say “The Lord is MY Shepherd; I shall
not want” (Ps. 23:1) or “The Lord is MY Light and MY Salvation; whom shall I
fear? The Lord is the Strength of MY life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Ps.
27:1). That’s what enabled Paul to say, “. . .for I know Whom I have
believed and am persuaded (Grk. ‘peitho’—‘convinced, to rely upon, be
assured of, have confidence in, etc.’) that HE IS ABLE to keep that which
I’ve committed unto Him against that day” (II Tim. 1:12b).
Jesus’ response to Thomas’ confession of faith is a beautiful one:
“Because you’ve seen Me, you’re blessed; but even more blessed are those who
haven’t seen Me and yet believe.” May the Lord help us today to be one of
these “blessed believers.”
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