“Jesus is alive! He is risen from the dead!” Mary Magdalene exclaimed to the disciples huddled in that upper room, hiding in fear and despair. Have you ever wondered what that moment looked like? In my active imagination, I picture Mary bursting through the door; panting and out of breath, with her hair all wild from her sprint from the tomb. “Jesus is alive! He is risen! I saw him! He talked to me!”
I see a startled John falling out of his chair in surprise… I imagine Peter jumping up and spilling his wine all over Andrew… I think of James letting out a whoop of celebration. Jesus had risen… just as he said he would! The world would never be the same! They would never be the same! Heaven would never be the same! Jesus is alive! O, how I wish I could time-travel and peek into that upper room. The celebration! The joy! The expectation that news must have brought to them! And in the midst of that bedlam — Thomas walks out. He just can’t believe it. He needs to clear his head. Then, later in the day Jesus appears to 10 of those disciples in that very upper room, and they see him for themselves. The celebration begins all over again… until Thomas returns. He stands there stoically. In the midst of exuberance, he frowns in contempt.
Bartholomew finally notices Thomas’ sour expression and claps him on the back, “Why the gloomy face, Thomas? Didn’t you hear? Jesus is ALIVE!” He was here!” And then the words that would live in infamy for Thomas, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Thomas said. O how many times did Thomas wish that he could have taken back those words?
I feel for poor Thomas. It isn’t easy for some to believe in the super-natural. Jesus had been executed! Perhaps the pressure had addled the minds of his friends? It was over. Finita. Kaput.
Jesus was dead! Now grab this… Thomas would spend the next EIGHT DAYS listening to all of his friends praise God over Jesus’ resurrection, while he remained parked in misery, despair and unbelief. Eight days. What were those eight days like?
Have you ever experienced eight days? No, I don’t mean literally, but instead a period of time where you were miserable. Perhaps an illness… or waiting on a diagnosis… or experiencing some relationship angst… or just waiting for God to show up because you desperately need him to do just that? Yes, eight days can feel like an eternity.
But do you know what my favorite part of this story is? “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.” John 20:26-27 ESV
You see it don’t you? Don’t you dare let this one do a flyby on you! Jesus appeared to his disciples that second time — Just. For. Thomas. He didn’t address anyone else in the room — just Thomas. His message to Thomas? Believe. And I am going to help you do that… reach out and touch me. I’m telling you this scene gives me chills! What was that moment like for Thomas?
Friends, I know eight days can feel like such a long time, but if we can just believe. Believe that Jesus is the sovereign King of Kings. Believe that all authority belongs to him. Believe that he is good. Believe that he has a plan and a purpose. And believe, that someday, when we walk through the gates of Heaven… that everything… even those periods of eight days — will make sense.
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