Enjoy Life, Enjoy God

DYING THOMAS

June 1, 2010

Yes, in this case, not "doubting Thomas," which we know is true, but "Dying Thomas," which also is true.

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Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."
- John 11:16 TNIV
Jesus' friend Lazarus died. Jesus tells his disciples that he will go to Lazarus and this will not end in death, but glory to God, and will lead others to believe, even them! That prompts "doubting Thomas," not to doubt, but to say this remarkable confession of faith: "Let us also...die."

Jesus tells us elsewhere that to follow him, to believe, requires that we must die, we must have our own cross. That is a far cry from the message of self-fulfillment and self-actualization that often is touted as what it means to follow Jesus. I'm not sure I'm ready to sign up to die. But I am 100% certain I want to follow Jesus. That being the case, maybe we all ought to quote Dying Thomas: "Let us also go, that we may die with him."
Joyfully,

Dale Patterson