John 20 -- One Key Word ...

Early on Sunday morning, John and Peter ran to the empty tomb after hearing Mary’s report.  Yet it wasn’t totally empty.  There was evidence in there – strips of linen lying there, and the cloth that had been around Jesus’ head, now neatly folded and set aside.  This wasn’t the scene of a grave desecration.  This didn’t indicate that a body had been stolen.  It was a scene of peace and order.  John said that he saw it and believed.

Mary believed, especially when she heard the risen Christ call her name.  Then a large group of the disciples believed when suddenly Jesus appeared among them in a locked room.

Thomas hadn’t been there on that occasion, but when Jesus did the same thing again and quoted Thomas’ own doubting words back to him, he too believed as Jesus told him, “Stop being an unbeliever and believe.”

John later wrote, “These things are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.  Then, by believing, you may have life in His name.”

Father, I doubted like Thomas once.  Thank You for helping me to believe by calling my name out as You did Mary’s.  Thank You for helping me to know that Jesus is Your Son – the Messiah of the world.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford