For centuries, people have told this story and talked about Thomas like he was some kind of loser. Doubting Thomas! It’s never meant as a compliment. And it’s really not fair. Our English translations of the text have done Thomas a disservice.
Oh, it would get worse for them. Way worse. But for now, it was bad enough. The fear. The wondering if any help would come. If they would live to see the morning. The word they used was “tortured.” That is what it was like. Not trouble. Not blasts. Torture.
God’s heart is bigger than ours. For our God loves not just the person executed after committing no crime; our God loves the person executed after committing a horrendous crime.
How mysterious that Jesus would speak of a mother hen as the place of greatest security. You would think he would speak of a soaring eagle with talons as sharp as swords, or a lion that protects the cubs. What about a pit bull trained to lick his chops if you get too near the…
You and I have a tendency to fool ourselves about certain things. One of these things is permanency.
If Jesus loves us like he loved Lazarus, he weeps for us in our fears.
It’s easier to go along to get along; that’s why it may hurt to be a follower instead of a fan of Jesus.