GodReflection: God Breaks In Monday
“Let us also go, that we may die with him.” – Thomas the Apostle
Everyone who grew up in Sunday church knows of “Doubting Thomas”.
Personally, I think he gets a bad rap.
Just a few days before this pivotal designation, he was the one with demonstrative faith ready to die for Jesus.
Thomas was no worse than the rest of his apostle friends. He was among the all—as in every last one—who deserted Jesus on crucifixion weekend.
While in a graduate class at Texas Tech University I became fascinated with the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).
Depending upon the version, by answering either 144 or 222 question the outcome placed me in one of 16 personality types. For the first time in my life I started to understand how I perceive the world and how I made decisions.
I am an ISTP which translates into my dominate traits of Introversion -Sensing -Thinking – Perceiving.
I’ve taken the instrument numerous times through the years always with the same result. While leading an Not For Profit entity I used the MBTI with my staff to help place the right people on the bus and in the right seat to add their gift set to task accomplishment.
After several years of practice—once I’m around a person over any length of time—I have a rather good idea where people fit on the 16-trait personality scale.
It is easy to pick out extroverts.
It’s not all that hard to spot those who make decisions by their feelings and those who need to taste, touch, and smell an idea before they can move forward.
One reason I like Thomas is that I identify with him. From the clues in the Gospels I would guess him to be a fellow ISTP.
He had to be an introvert. He was always listed number 7 or 8 on the apostolic lists in the Gospels. The extroverted leaders were Peter, Andrew, James, and John. They are listed as the first four.
Thomas was willing to die for Jesus as long as he felt his thinking to be right as to his Messianic identity.
When he figured out his presupposition of Jesus as the Messiah who was to drive out the Romans was wrong—doubt surfaced.
To top off his misconceptions—Messiah was never expected to die before he started his job description.
Now, his friends are telling him they saw Jesus alive—“sure you did”.
Dead people don’t live.
To restore faith Thomas needed to sense, see, and touch Jesus’ wounds for himself.
The Holy Son of God broke in to restore Thomas’ doubts. Jesus knew every thought in the mind of Thomas.
What stood in the way of belief was doubt.
So the Apostle John records a direct quote from his apostolic colleague:
“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” (John 20:24).
I find it interesting that Jesus gave Thomas time to live with his doubt. I can only imagine his mental gymnastics. Jesus death was a fact. The one he thought to be the Messiah was dead.
A week later Jesus walks through locked doors and adobe walls to seek out the doubter—who was still loved by the Master.
“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 20:27-29
Here is what I think.
I serve a God who is constantly in the business of breaking into my doubts and asking me to touch Him anew so that I might believe.
He wants to remind me that God broke into a tomb and raised His Son to eternal life so that I can live my eternity in their presence.
Aren’t you glad that the Holy breaks into our doubts?
Stay tuned.
Dr. Gary J. Sorrells – A GodReflection on God Breaks Into Doubt.
God Reflection 