Thomas Didymus

by Ken Drain, Belfast, Northern Ireland | Category: Lives As Lessons | Apr 1996

It is sad how often a person is stereotyped because of one act or indiscretion. Thomas Didymus is known to all as 'Doubting Thomas' yet this title may prevent us from seeing him as one who possessed many lovely qualities.

Didymus means twin. Surely there can be no closer natural bond than to be a twin. Often identical twins think the same thoughts, feel the same pain, share the same joys and almost act as two persons harmonized into one entity. To be separated may be a traumatic experience. We do not read of Thomas' twin. Did Thomas sacrifice the closeness of this relationship to follow the Lord? Have you been called upon to separate yourself from a relationship which you cherish to follow the Lord? It may not be a brother, sister, or even a friend but rather the close love of your life whatever form that may take.

When he thought the Lord was going to die it was Thomas who said, 'Let us also go, that we may die with Him' (John 11:16). What an expression of solidarity. What a commitment to love and unquestioning devotion.

The Lord needs men and women of this calibre today - those who are prepared to enter into the fellowship of His sufferings, His rejection, His shame, those who are prepared to go outside the camp' with Him. What a lovely insight into Thomas' character that his love was so strong he was willing to follow to the end and pay the ultimate price. Are you equally committed, is your love so strong that you will follow to the end whatever the cost?

Lord Jesus, 'tis my purpose

To serve Thee to the end.

The Lord knew the weakness which would be exposed in Thomas' faith and still He chose him to be an apostle. Behind that weakness glowed the lovely qualities of love for the Lord and a desire to follow Him. From his doubt he would be lifted to follow on. Thomas was one of those who saw the Lord ascending into heaven and received the angelic promise of His return. Thomas was also one of those found in the upper chamber, continuing steadfastly in prayer.

After the crucifixion Thomas was so preoccupied with the Lord's death and the disfigurement of Calvary that he could not accept the reality of resurrection - he needed tangible evidence.

Jesus wasn't in the company when Thomas expressed his doubts, yet the Saviour knew and understood his difficulties and addressed them. With compassion for his human failing the Lord gave him the opportunity to experience the two things which be bad requested, to put his finger into the nail prints and his band into the spear print It was sufficient just to see the wounds, but did Thomas actually feel them, perhaps to share the revulsion of the dreadful mutilation of his Lord's body? In any case he was fully reassured of the One who stood before him as he said, 'My Lord and my God'.

Today we believe in the nail-pierced, spear-wounded Man of Calvary. We weep at His suffering, we wonder at His sacrifice and we say with dear blind Fanny Crosby:

I shall know Him

By the print of the nails in His hand.

To the blind, tactile responses mean so much, but for the re-union with her Saviour there would be no need to feel the nail prints, she will be able to see them, for her eyes will be open to experience that soul thrilling rapture when she views His blessed face. 'Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed' (John 20:29).

What a privilege it was for those disciples to see, touch and hear the living and risen Saviour, but what a blessing is accorded those who know Him by faith! Have you ever doubted the Lord's hand in your life? Have you ever asked for tangible evidence? So often we echo the cry of that distraught father who said, 'I believe; help Thou mine unbelief' (Mark 9:24).

Shall we allow our eyes to be drawn from Him, allow our faith to fail so that we turn back from following on? Yes we may have our moments, but may our heartfelt prayer be for faith to continue. The Lord understood Thomas' weakness and He understands ours.

Thomas did not doubt the Lord's word but did not understand it when He said, 'And whither I go, ye know the way' (John 14:4). It was as a response to the simple question '... how know we the way?' that we gained yet another great classic of Scripture used so much in the preaching of the Gospel 'I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by Me'. How often do we not quite understand God's hand in our lives and we are caused to question. Yet in His gracious compassion He listens and responds, and we learn such valuable spiritual lessons. We should never doubt God's will in our lives but we may certainly ask Him to reveal Himself to us.

Doubts in your life may well be a cause for turning from following the Lord. Indeed Satan will use your doubts to make you believe that you are of no value to God, and therefore there is no point in continuing. Let us all learn from Thomas that when Jesus calls us He will carry us through our doubts and encourage us to follow on, to be still found with God's people, to be still found continuing steadfastly in prayer.

When doubts and fears arise,

Teach me Thy way;

When storms O'erspread the skies,

Teach me Thy way.

Shine through the cloud and rain,

Through sorrow, toil and pain;

Make Thou my pathway plain,

Teach me Thy way.

How easy it is to sing these words when skies are blue and life ahead seems so full of blessing and promise. Yet how many falter when the darker clouds come, when the sky assumes a menacing and oppressive blackness, when we are buffeted by the storm. We become unsettled with misgiving and doubt. We begin to wonder what the future holds, and we feel unable to cope. How many times have we longed for some small but tangible reassurance that God is still with us in our trouble, some practical evidence that things will be all right How often do we pray for the physical rather than the spiritual and expect a physical response. We want to see to believe. 'Make haste to answer me, 0 LORD; my spirit faileth' (Ps. 143:7).

How often do we read in God's Word of those who were filled with doubt. It was Peter, that impetuous and dearly loved disciple, who when he was walking on the waters, took his eyes off the Lord and saw the natural responses of the elements, causing him to hear the Lord's admonition '0 thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?' (Mat 14:31). Yet Peter was to follow on and he eventually gave his life for his Saviour.

Doubt would appear to be the result of a lack of faith. The disciples were told 'If you have faith, and doubt not it shall be done' (Mat. 21:21). Abraham '... wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith ...' (Rom. 4:20). 'But he that doubteth is condemned if he eat, because be eateth not of faith' (Rom. 14:23). 'But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed' (James 1:6).

Perhaps the magnitude of our doubt is a measure of our faith and so we need to ask the Lord to strengthen our faith. But we do take courage in that the One who was 'in all points tempted, like as we' is also the One who says, 'I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee' (Heb. 13:5).

Ken Drain, Belfast, Northern Ireland | Apr 1996
Lives As Lessons