James 5:11

Once again from the pen of my son, Adam Litmer

What do you call the saint who has given his all for the cause?

The one who courageously stood for the Lord and suffered loss?

The saint who is scarred and bruised, acquainted with fear?

Whose prayers rarely travel upward without an accompanying tear?

What do you call the saint whose brethren have betrayed?

Who can’t sleep at night regardless of where head is laid?

Whose armor has been pierced by closest of friend?

Who wearily eyes the narrow road, steadies himself, and walks it again?

What do you call the saint who pleads for rest among the storms of life?

Who cannot look to right or left without seeing anger and strife?

Who bows his head without knowing what to say?

Yet reaches desperately for His God anyway?

What do you call the saint who pierced, sinks to tired knee?

Who lies sprawled in the mire for all the world to see?

Who struggles to rise without really knowing why?

Whose thoughts soar to He far beyond the sky?

What do you call the saint who won’t quit, though suffering great?

Who stumbles and staggers slowly up that road they call Straight?

Whose clothes have ripped, and shoes have worn?

Whose heart is broken, but faith untorn?

What do you call that saint whose wounds are not few?

Who through everything has always stayed true?

What do you call that saint who yearns desperately for his eternal rest?

Well, I don’t know about you, but God calls him blessed.

THE APOSTLES – THOMAS

            One of the most frequently mentioned apostles, but usually in a negative way, is Thomas.  While we are not told a great deal about the man himself, we find a few events recorded in the Gospel of John that give us some insight into the character of this often criticized man.

                       In John 11:7-16, we find the Lord determined to go to Bethany in the region of Judea because of the death of His friend, Lazarus.  The journey He desired to make could have proven to be extremely dangerous because of the antagonism felt toward Jesus by many of the prominent Jews in the region.  Of all the apostles, it was Thomas who said at that time, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him” (v. 16).  Here he demonstrated courage, and not simply courage, but loyalty as well.  Thomas said, “Let us also go, that we may die with HIM.”  Thomas was willing to die with Jesus.  I pray that I would be of the same mind and willing to show the same degree of such fine attributes.

            John 14:1-5 is another passage that grants us some insight into the heart of this man.  In this famous passage, Jesus spoke of going to prepare a place for His disciples and promised that He would return.  The gospels indicate to us the time of this statement, the apostles were confused and even disturbed by the way events had been going and by some of the teaching that Jesus had done.  They did not know where Jesus was going, they did not understand what was meant by His promise to return, and they certainly did not know how they were going to get to where He was going.  But it was Thomas who said, “Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?”  He wanted to know the answer.  He was too honest and too earnest to simply sit there as though he understood when he did not.  So he expressed his lack of understanding and his question prompted one of the most memorable of the Lord’s statement’s in verse 6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

            In John 20:19-27 we find the famous passage in which Thomas said, “Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe” (v. 25).  Because of this statement, Thomas has been branded a doubter.  Indeed, his name has become associated with someone who simply will not believe – a “Doubting Thomas.”  I am not so certain that that reputation is warranted.  No one wanted to believe any more than Thomas, yet his reaction was that of a careful man, one who demanded proof.  Notice that Thomas prefaced his statement of unbelief with the word “except.”  His unbelief was conditional. If he saw the same evidence that had convinced the other apostles, he would believe.

            Eight days later Jesus appeared again to the disciples and this time Thomas was present.  He saw the print of the nails, beheld the wound in the side of the Lord, and said, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28).  Thomas made this Great Confession.  There was no doubt now.  This was Jesus, his Lord and his God.  The resurrection convicted Thomas that Jesus was God in the flesh.

            Thomas, also called Didymus, means, “twin.”  I know nothing of his physical twin, but we can all be his “spiritual” twin by being courageous and loyal to Jesus, by seeking greater understanding of the Lord’s words, and by being convicted by the evidence that Jesus is our Lord and our God.                 

                                    Greg Litmer