Read: 
John 3:16
John 20:24-29
Matthew 7:8

Thomas Encounter

Has this thought ever crossed your mind? “What if, when I die, it turns out there is no God after all?” As Christians, we’ve been taught to push these doubts aside—to just have faith because our salvation depends on believing:

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. – John 3:16
But I have news for you: Faith is not the absence of doubt; faith requires it!

Think about it: without doubt, we wouldn’t need to have faith; we’d simply have certainty. If we could see God, we wouldn’t need faith to believe in Him.

Jesus Himself wasn’t offended by people who doubted. We can learn that from the fifth and final resurrection encounter we’re looking at this week (John 20:24-29). Thomas wasn’t there the first time Jesus appeared to the disciples in the house. His friends told him what happened, but Thomas exclaimed:

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. – John 20:25
Thomas is often labelled “Doubting Thomas,” but I think that’s unfair. I’d like to call him “Seeking Thomas.” He says, “I don’t just want to go by what you tell me; I want to have my own encounter.” He doesn’t reject his friends' nearly absurd claims that someone could come back to life after being crucified. He simply says, “I want to know for myself!”

Jesus comes and meets Thomas in his doubts. He tells him:

“Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” – John 20:27
What are the doubts in your heart? Like Thomas, bring them to Jesus—He won’t push you away. Instead, He invites you to seek Him:

“Everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” – Matthew 7:8