Verse: John 20:26-27 ESV
26 Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
Devotion
I am drawn to the New Living Translation of this verse because it uses the word “faithless” instead of “unbelief.” The significance of this story remains but there is something that stirs in my heart about the faith of Thomas. It makes you wonder how someone who walked with Jesus and saw countless miracles and signs and wonders could not believe that Jesus could have risen from the grave. He has seen this sort of miracle before, even! Then, from a convicted heart I think of my own life. I have heard God’s voice as quiet as a thought and also as loud as a shout. I have felt His presence in my life and I have been so utterly aware of His nearness that I was completely overwhelmed. I have seen the things that God has done in my life, and the freedom and redemption that could only be by His hand. Still, on too numerous an occasion, I lose faith in the living God. In reality, I can actually understand Thomas’ unbelief quite well.
Faith is wavering in the human heart. Sure, when Thomas was with Jesus, he had no choice but to have faith in the works of God because it was right before his eyes. How quickly, though can we lose faith because we can’t see what God is doing? Even after God shows up for us time and time again, we collapse under the pressure of life and abandon our theology because of unbelief.
When I am concerned with finances, I am believing that money is my security rather than my Savior. When I lose my temper because dishes have been left undone and there are clothes on the floor, I am believing that my comfort comes from a clean house rather than the God of Comfort. When I lose sleep over my future and where it will take me and my family, I am failing to remember that the future is not my own and the Lord is the author. Too often I tell the Lord, “It’s okay. I got this one.” I exhaust all my options that all lead to failure or some level of disappointment before I sheepishly return to the One who is Lord over all and pray as if He may be able to help me.
What I am learning to grasp is that the presence of faith does not eradicate all unbelief. In Mark 9:23-24 Jesus was performing a miracle for a man’s child. Jesus said to the father of the child, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” He was asking Jesus to close the gap between his faith and his unbelief. This is simplified pure faith combined with the confession that He needed Christ to attain the far more perfect faith that he desired.
Prayer is the perfect medicine for faithlessness. Even talking to the Lord and spending time in His presence causes our hearts to be humbled and we realize our need for Him. Our faith has the ability to soar in Him who is security and comfort–He who is sovereign over all.
Prayer
Lord, you are so worthy of our faithfulness. You are not a God who fails us and we are confident that you won’t start now. Forgive us for our faithlessness that causes our hearts to be set on momentary security and earthly things. In our time with you, would you remind us who you are. Let our faith rise as we know you more deeply and let it be unwavering. Close the gap, Father between our faith and the cloud of unbelief that seeks to overpower. Lord, we believe! Help our unbelief.” To you be the glory, Amen.
Author: Jillian Tulowitzky
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