John 20:20-29
Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “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.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:20-29 (NIV)
As a child, the novelty of having a pinata at a birthday party was exciting. You just knew that when it broke open something good was going to be inside and spill out everywhere. The allure of being the one to wield the final blow that released the bounty was strong. A proud moment of strength and accomplishment with riches abound. But before the final blow there were plenty of swings and misses. Strong attempts that fell short or merely glanced off the intended target.
Sometimes it seems that life can be like the challenge of a piñata. We can set our sights on a prize, even if it is just the perception of a prize that we can’t truly and fully see. The work begins in earnest but in reality we may be blindly swinging at our target which also may be a moving one. Our daily actions, though well intended, can seem fraught and meaningless.
But we keep laboring on with the faith that we will succeed. With the faith in our expected bounty.
Similarly, as Christians, we hope that as we labor through life until the end of our earthly days we will eventually be able to celebrate the goodness that is Heaven. We have faith in the fact that Christ will provide us with the greatest prize of all, eternal life. We know that there is something good at the end in spite of all the times that we swing and miss in the aim of God’s glory. Good times and good things are abound when the Heavens are opened to us. For that we have faith. Even if we can’t see it, or touch it. Even if we don’t deserve it.
Questions for Reflection:
- What does faith look like to you?
- Can you think of a time that you worked really hard at something even though you were unsure what the outcome might be but we’re confident that it would be good?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the ability to have faith in things that we cannot see. We thank you for the gift of your son Jesus and because of his death and resurrection, we will receive the greatest reward. Eternity with you. Amen.
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