September 3, 2016–Devotions — Rio Olympics
Handball

“But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”   A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” John 20:24-29

I must admit that I walked away from this Olympics a fan of the game of handball. Many of us think of handball, and we think of the game that is played in a racquetball court with a small hard ball and some padded gloves. But, apparently, there are at least two games that people call handball. I remember the days I used to work for a local summer program and after-school program. We made up a game that was a lot like handball. It was a great game – fast and physical. So it goes with the Olympic game of handball. Though many of the aspects of the game are still a mystery to me, like all of the rules, it appears to include a nice mix of aspects of different games, games like soccer, basketball, and field hockey, all rolled into one. But, you have to see it to really appreciate it.

This is the problem Thomas had with the resurrection appearance of Jesus. He needed to see it to really appreciate it. But that is true in so many aspects of our lives. We like to believe everything – even those things that remain intangible to us. But we can’t always believe without seeing. That, of course, is what faith is. Faith is believing without seeing, without beholding, without touching. The mystery of the Gospel is the resurrected Jesus – who floated into rooms, walked through walls and ate fish at a beach picnic. But there is no mystery as to what it means for us – eternal life with G-d. And we don’t have to wait to appreciate that before we see it…Amen? Amen!

Pastor Dave