"When You're Hoping for a Miracle" in American Sign LanguageSample

It’s Never Too Late for a Miracle
By Rick Warren

“Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!’ ‘My Lord and my God!’ Thomas exclaimed.” (John 20:27-28 NLT)

When Jesus was crucified, none of his followers understood it. One of those twelve disciples was a guy named Thomas. I really like Thomas because he had honest doubts. Thomas was a thinker. He was a guy who just didn’t accept whatever you told him. He wanted to check it out himself.

When Thomas heard about Jesus being raised from the dead, he said, “Oh really?” He’d followed Jesus for three and a half years. But he wasn’t going to believe Jesus was resurrected until he saw the proof: “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side” (John 20:25b NLT).

The Bible says that eight days after all the disciples except Thomas had seen the resurrected Jesus, they “were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. ‘Peace be with you,’ he said. Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!’ ‘My Lord and my God!’ Thomas exclaimed” (John 20:26-28).

Notice that Jesus did not criticize Thomas for his doubts. If doubt causes you to be arrogant, stubborn, prideful, or prejudiced, that’s not doubt — that’s ego. Doubt means you don’t know, but you’re open. Doubt is a good thing if it drives you to the truth.

Jesus didn’t put Thomas down for his doubts. He didn’t say, “Come on, Thomas! You were with me more than three years. Surely you must have heard me say I was going to come back to life in three days. And you didn’t believe it! Come on, man!” He didn’t scold or rebuke him. He just said, “Here’s your proof. Put your hands in my side. See the wounds. It’s really me.”

Thomas was a little late, but when he saw the resurrected Jesus, he shouted, “My Lord and my God!”

It is never too late for a miracle. Even death doesn’t mean it’s over. It’s never too late.

“What is impossible for people is possible with God” (Luke 18:27).

Talk It Over

What is it that you need from God but that you think is impossible?

How have you seen God work through your doubts? What have you learned because of your doubts?

What is the difference between doubt and disbelief?