The Wonder of It All

October 13

(Luke 24:9-12 NIV) “When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. {10} It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. {11} But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. {12} Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.”

(Luke 24:1-4 NIV) “On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. {2} They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, {3} but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. {4} While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.”

(John 20:24-27 NIV) ““Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. {25} So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." {26} A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" {27} 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.””

The resurrection is a wonder greater than any of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World. It is so wondrous that it can be difficult to believe. The women who saw the empty tomb wondered what it meant. Peter went to see, and also walked away wondering. Wonder is a positive term, but it’s only about a half inch from doubt, which is almost always toxic. Even though Jesus had told them He would rise again, the disciples doubted the women’s story. They considered it nonsense. Thomas’s response quickly skidded past wonder and into the pit of doubt. It took a special visit from the risen Christ to heal him. When you think of the resurrection, does it produce wonder, or doubt? Christian agnostics abound today in our polluted atmosphere of biblical skepticism. Wondrous stories are written off as myth because they seem like nonsense. Don’t go there! Believe the wonder. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day