An Easter Prayer

When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had said this, he showed unto them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord. Jesus therefore said to them again, Peace be unto you: as the Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit: whose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them; whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and see my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and put it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name.

John 20:19-31

Thomas, known infamously as “Doubting Thomas,” refused to believe in the Resurrection until he had seen the risen Savior with his own eyes. When he saw Jesus alive, he addressed Him as, “my Lord and my God!” Thomas had become a believer.

Jesus told Thomas that those who believe without seeing will be blessed. We have not seen the resurrected Christ with our own eyes, but we have the account of His resurrection left by those who did witness it. John concluded this account with the words, “these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name.”

My prayer on this Easter is John's prayer – that you would believe in the living Savior and that, by believing, you would have life!

Happy Easter!