Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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 St. Thomas- The Apostle’s Day

Bible portion: John 20: 24-29 
“"Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28)
Devotion:
The Gospel of St. John chapter 20, refers to the ‘Empty Tomb’ or the ‘Resurrected Christ’. In  the bible passage St.John 20:24-29, we witness the appearance of the resurrected Christ among the disciples including Thomas. Here we see the transformation of Thomas from a doubting to a declaration of the greatest faith in the bible ‘My Lord My God’.  
After seeing the resurrected Christ, apostle Thomas proclaimed the greatest faith as ‘My Lord My God’. He spread this gospel so that many believers were born and thus the Christ community grew. We celebrate this day as St. Thomas day. 
Let’s go back a week before Thomas’s proclamation of ‘My Lord My God’. Take a moment to picturize the scene of crucifixion. Probably Thomas wanted to scream, sob until exhaustion seeing Jesus whom he loved being beaten up, nails being pierced in His hands, spear run through His side, blood dripping all over, the entire body weight hanging there for hours. It was an unbearable scene for Thomas to watch.  Hold your thoughts here for now.
There were disciples who had nicknames, ‘Peter- The Rock’ James & John- ‘sons of Thunder’ and so on… But Thomas was known in the bible as ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’. To this Thomas, the other disciples give the news that they saw Jesus. Probably Thomas had a flashback moment of Jesus’s love for him and the entire crucifixion scene, that made him 
doubt. In the midst of this confusion, Jesus appears to Thomas and other disciples. Presence of Jesus brings peace and takes away the confusion. Jesus’ presence transforms Apostle Thomas’ confusion and doubt into trust, confidence and courage. Next we see Apostle Thomas proclaim the greatest faith ‘My Lord My God’. 
Later, we see in the bible Apostle Thomas entered into a personal relationship with Christ, giving his Lordship to Christ  and worked for the Lord till the end.
 
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, take away the confusion and doubt from us. We believe that we are serving a resurrected living God. Transform and help us proclaim our faith as ‘My Lord My God’ like Apostle Thomas.. In Jesus’ name we pray Amen.

                                              Thought for the Day
                  “It is better to lose your life than to waste it.”― John Piper
                                                    Julie Alex
                            Salem MarThoma Church, New York

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