Could greater injury be done to a man than this–to rob him of his heritage of strength?”
–Zane Grey (The Rainbow Trail)
“Let me share in the prosperity of your chosen ones. Let me rejoice in the joy of your people; let me praise you with those who are your heritage.”
–Psalm 106:5 (NLT)
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Possibly man’s greatest enemy, at least while on this earth, is that old enemy of “Time.” We lose time, we throw away time, we squander time, we waste time. Then one day Time starts to catch up with us. Eventually, Time, along with his cohorts of pain, disease, and age will rob us of our strength and bring us down. Take care to “redeem the time.” (Ephesians 5:16)
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“Helplessness induces hopelessness, and history attests that loss of hope and not loss of life is what decides the issue of war.”
–Captain Sir Basil Liddell Hart
I like Thomas. Few in Scripture get a worse rap than Thomas, but are we any better? “Doubting Thomas,” he is called and it seems to me that most of us do a little doubting now and then. However, it was Thomas who declared that the disciples should go to Jerusalem and be ready to die with Jesus. Really, in some ways we are not the same–I do not consider myself a “doubter.” I have a simple faith–trust in the Lord and He will take care of me.
I have often wondered who had the other sword in the Garden? We know that Peter used his and cut off the ear of Malchus, but if I remember right there were two swords purchased. I wonder if it was Thomas; after all, he was prepared.
I fear that you doubt me.
“Then Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, Let us go too, that we may die [be killed] along with Him.”
–John 11:16 (Amplified)
“’Lord,’ they said, ‘look, here are two swords.’ ‘Enough of that!’ He told them.”
–Luke 22:38 (HCSB)
Makes me wonder. Thomas, man of little faith because of doubt, but he never lost hope. I recall those chilling words of Tennyson. Men who went forward, and fell.
“Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley’d and thunder’d;
Storm’d at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
Rode the six hundred.”
–Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Ride into the jaws of Death, Thomas was ready. He knew that hope rested in the person of Jesus Christ.