When I See

A man walked slowly through the streets of Jerusalem, passing by a few vendors and a couple of roman sentries. Eventually, he stopped in front of one of the buildings on the outskirts of the city, climbing up a staircase that lead to the second floor.

He knocked on the door of the upper room with the secret knock. It was immediately opened. He stepped inside and shut the door behind him. He was suddenly surrounded by his friends who were all talking at once. It was impossible to understand any of them!

"Thomas! Thomas! What Mary said was true. He is alive!" Shouted James.

"Thomas, we've seen Him!" Shouted the other son of thunder above the commotion.

Thomas, trying to comprehend, waved his hands, "Shhhh! I can't listen to you all at once! Peter, what has happened?"

"Thomas, we saw Jesus. He stood right here in this room with us, he was standing almost exactly where you are! He talked to us."

Thomas frowned, had all of his friends lost their minds? "Peter, all of us have been under a lot of stress. And I know that you haven't slept since Jesus died. You must be imagining things."

Matthew spoke up, "So you're saying that you believe that all of us imagined the same thing at the same time? You sound crazier than we do! He walked right through that locked door."

"He walked right through the locked door?" Thomas asked.

Everyone nodded.

God, they've lost it....

"Well..." Said Thomas said hesitantly. "Maybe it was a spirit."

Peter was still bubbling over with enthusiasm, "Thomas, I know I saw Him! I saw my Master, our Master! For crying out loud, I denied Him three times, something I will never forget...do you think I wouldn't recognize Him???"

Mary spoke up, "Oh, Thomas, if you'd have been here you'd know it was Him."

Thomas shook his head. "Did any of you touch Him? No. Then you can't know whether or not it was just a spirit or something else entirely. Believe what you want. But 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 cannot believe it."

A week later, while Thomas was gathered with the rest of the disciples in the house with the doors locked. Suddenly Jesus came and stood among them and said,"Peace to you!"

Jesus focused His attention on Thomas. "Take your finger and examine My hands. Take your hand and stick it in My side. Don't be unbelieving. Believe."

Thomas fell to his knees. He didn't have to touch the wounds. He knew it was Jesus. He cried out, "My Master! My God!"

Jesus smiled, "So, you believe because you've seen with your own eyes. Good! But better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing."

I will never doubt again my Master, my Lord, My Savior. I just needed to know, I needed to feel your presence. Now I can take on Satan himself...as long as you are with me.

I am with you always. Even to the end of the age.

Later, when the disciples traveled throughout the known world to preach the Gospel, Thomas was chosen to go to India and North Africa. Although he dreaded living among these savage tribes, God strengthened him, and he was able to convert many in these countries.

Around 70 AD, he went to Calamina, India, where the people worshiped an image of the sun. Through the power of God, Thomas destroyed the image and put a stop to their idolatry.

The sun god's priests were furious. They accused him before their king, who sentenced him to be tortured with red-hot metal plates and then thrown into a gleaming furnace.

To the amazement of all, the fire did not hurt Thomas - he was still alive in the midst of the furnace! When the priests saw this, they were so angry, they threw spears and javelins into the furnace at him. One of the spears pierced his side. He fell there dead. But we know that's not the end of this story...there is one more important detail:

He has Overcome the Grave! Where oh death is now thy sting?

“You will never know how much you believe something until it is a matter of life and death.” C.S. Lewis