Let’s not be too critical of the apostle called the ‘Doubting Thomas’. Kind of a nasty label, don’t you think? I had some nicknames as a kid. One was ‘Hunker’ as I carried around a bit of extra heft. Still do but no one calls me that at least not to my face. Another was ‘the fish’. Okay, not too bad really.

Reading John 20, we discover that Thomas has some questions about what the other disciples claim about Jesus. They say that He’s not dead. That He’s alive! And they’ve seen Him face-to-face! What? Are they all looney bins? On some vile head trip? Conspiring together with some cock and bull story?

Back to Thomas. He’s been out of town, otherwise occupied. He misses out on what the others experience. So, is he the only one to raise questions? The only doubter?

Not so. Earlier in John 20, some women report to the apostles that Jesus’ body is no longer in the tomb and, on top of that, that they’ve seen Him… alive! Can you believe it? Well, the men don’t. No way. For off go Peter and John to check out this fishy story. A bunch of cockamamie, hair-brained hogwash? Someone has stolen His body? Panic cascades through their emotions propelling them to the place where Jesus was buried.

Seems obvious to me that more than Thomas were doubters at one time or another. Questions would naturally arise, even with what they’d seen with their own eyes. The only ones?

Unfortunately, you can count me as one of them. Doubts about my salvation early on rob me of much joy in the Lord. Wasted energy as I go forward whenever an invitation for salvation is given. I helped some churches increase their number of conversions!

Later on, doubts about my abilities keep me running overheated with more steam than is needed. Spiritual wild goose chase, hoping to prove my worth to the Lord. Trying to earn His love. Am I the only one?

Doubts seem more like fighting city hall. Going around in circles while lacking trust in Jesus and His Word. Hitting my head against a brick wall of unbelief.

Notice something? Doubts often center on me, I, and myself. My feelings. My confidence. My gifts. Me…me…me. Enough already! Start focusing on Jesus. Stick my head more often in the Bible and less noshing on my old worn-out, flat-as-a-pancake feelings.

Rather, do as all the apostles eventually did (except Judas). Eat fully at the Father’s feast of promises made and promises kept, found on almost any page of your Bible. Stop spiritual starvation because you’ve gorged yourself on doubts that are just dustballs and lint, unsubstantial diddly-squat.

Time for less of me and more of Jesus and the Bible, which squeezes out many of those pesky doubts. Let them go. Shoo them far away. Give them a one-way ticket to oblivion, saying a hearty good riddance! At least, let’s give it a try. Are you with me? Am I the only one?

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for being a promise keeper. Amen.