"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 20:27-29

Thomas was given an incredible gift that makes many of us jealous.  To be able to see the risen Jesus in the flesh... to be able to place our fingers in nail wounds... to know that it is so...

But we don't get such a gift.  We get one even better: faith.  To know something requires no faith.  But to live one's life around a belief system requires enormous faith.  Consider the power of belief for a second in the context of work... if you spend time each day being busy around some activity for the sake of a paycheck, you will do it.  It will become monotonous and you may even grow to resent and hate your work because it takes you from the life you would rather be living.  But if you approach your work with the understanding that it means something, and you believe in what your doing, whether you get paid or not doesn't matter.  You do it because you love it.  While not the same in terms of faith in God, it does illustrate the power of faith.  It has a fuel about it that propels us toward a hope-filled future and carries us past the mundane and the meaningless.   It clarifies our values and aligns our living with purpose and gives power.  I wonder what life would be without faith.  Does anyone know?  Even the nonbeliever shows faith in their non-belief.

Readings:  2 Samuel 18:1-19:10; John 20:1-31; Psalm 119:153-176; Proverbs 16:14-15