"Unless I See"

 “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” (John 20:25 ESV)

This is the apostle Thomas speaking to the ten after Christ had appeared to them in the resurrection. Where was Thomas in his faith with Christ? Think about it. Thomas was called in the beginning and followed Christ in His ministry. Thomas had seen the miracles, most of them, yet did he have faith in Christ?

Thomas had heard Peter’s proclamation, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16), when Christ asked the twelve, " Who do you say I am? (16:15) So, did Thomas believe in him, and his faith faltered. Or did he not grasp who Jesus was? Is that not what can happen to us?

Whether we are young or old, sometimes faith falters. That is the goal of the enemy to lure us away from God and shatter faith. Christ told us, “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44) Usually when we are more mature in Christ we can recover from the challenge to our faith. The concern is much greater for the young, who may believe but have not professed faith, or who are infants in Christ.

How do we help these young believers? Well, the best way is to sit down and talk to them about Christ, what He did for us as sinners. We can look at scripture with them, especially the gospels. more specifically, the Gospel of John, which in its prologue tells us exactly who Christ is.

We should also remind them of the blessings God has given them. It could be that a classmate has gone to the Lord, yet we have hope in the resurrection. Maybe it is just all the evil they see on television and social media that has caused them to question God, yet we know God uses all things for good. If the cause for doubt is illness, it may be one that a parent has had, and God made sure there was someone in their life who understood what they were going through. Maybe it is a grandparent(s) who make sure they can do the special things in their lives that they otherwise might not have been able to afford. Perhaps God blessed them with a pet that loves them and they cherish.

For children, even those raised in a God-fearing home, these simple things are often taken for granted and missed for what they truly are: a blessing from God. Faltering faith is dangerous for all believers, especially in today's world. A world controlled by the prince of the power of the air, who uses the wicked to lure those questioning their faith away from God with promises that are meant to entice but only lead to destruction.

All hope is found in Christ. While we have difficult times in our lives, Jesus is our anchor in the storm. The younger the believer, the easier it is to be overcome by the harsh reality of the world. Unless they know and are reminded of the blessings our merciful God gives us every single day, like us, they may lose the only hope we have, Jesus. Lift up those who are in doubt. Remind them of who Jesus who He truly is, our God, our Lord, and Savior.

Jesus appeared to the apostles again, this time Thomas was present and saw Jesus. “Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (20:26-29)

We can only come to faith by hearing. (Romans 10:17) Teach the gospel to those who are lost. In times of questioning faith, reassure believers of all ages of God’s love and mercy, and of the promise of eternal life through faith in Christ alone.

Grace and Peace.