PPic: Oberon Golf Course - Links Pro Am 2006

PGA Chaplain Bible Studies

Study 39 October 20th to 26th 2008.
Reading – John Chapter 20:24 to29.

“Doubting Thomas”

“Now Thomas, 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 hands in his side I will not believe it.””(John Chapter 20: verses 24 to 25 New International Version).

I can certainly relate to Thomas concerning doubt when playing golf. Doubt in golf relates to confidence, and believing in yourself and without this it is impossible to play golf well when it matters. I am not a person who has a great deal of confidence and this has led to doubts and nerves when playing golf. Overtime you learn better how to handle your doubts nerves and pressure, but it takes time. You hear it said in sport in general and in golf that you have to lose one tournament before you can win one. I think there is a lot of truth to this, even though for a few they can overcome this.

Doubting is a big theme when it comes to God. One of the disciples is Thomas, and he is famous (doubting Thomas is a well known phrase) for his refusal to believe without adequate proof for himself.

Thomas was the only one of the disciples who was absent when the risen Jesus appeared to his followers. When told of his rising from the dead, Thomas could not believe this and demanded proof by seeing Jesus himself. Thomas is not on his own here; I have heard from time to time some say they will believe like Thomas if they see God for real. For people like Thomas seeing is believing! A week later Jesus appears to Thomas and he believes and acknowledges Jesus as his God and Lord, (more about this next week) but Jesus does say to Thomas ; “blessed are those who have not seen but believe” (see verse 29). The agnostic or atheist calls this blind faith, but it is not; there are many things we can cannot see, but believe in.

Even if God could be proved, this would not mean that people would follow God. It might make God more real, but not really soften our hearts to God.
In my limited perception, not being able to prove God’s existence, or understand God is a necessary reality. We like to make ourselves out to be God and know everything, but the truth is God is far greater and awesome than we can imagine or comprehend. We can see and perceive enough of God in the created world and in the life of Jesus that the one who truly searches for God according to his ways, will find God.
So Thomas had his doubts resolved because he hung around for another week until Jesus came to them again. Believing in Jesus is not blind faith because everything that Jesus stands for does and says relate to the deepest searches we have about life.

To truly believe, one has to be willing to acknowledge that we do not know everything, be open to listen and to test the credibility of what is being proposed. I find Jesus to be credible and along with his claim to be one with God, then rising from the dead is not so much a miracle; it is what we could expect from one who created live in the beginning. Jesus reminds us that it is children who believe more easily, because they have less pride get in the way.
 
Prayer.  Lord our doubts about you are real, but help us to see that without you, there is no real purpose or meaning to life. Thank you for Jesus who shows us what you are truly like. Amen

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