John 20:27 – “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.’”
In the stillness of that room, Jesus did not rebuke Thomas for his doubt—He invited him. With tenderness and authority, He opened His hand, revealing the scars of crucifixion, not as a display of shame or defeat, but as eternal proof of love.
The wounds were not just evidence of death—they were a living invitation. “Touch the place where sacrifice met mercy,” Jesus was saying. Thomas was offered not only proof but participation. His hand was called to meet the pierced hand of Christ—to bridge doubt with faith, and intellect with intimacy.
In this moment, Jesus established a pattern: His hand remains open. Open to bless. Open to heal. Open to hold. But first, it is open to show us the cost of redemption. Before it gives bread, it bears scars. Before it lifts us up, it reminds us of what was laid down.
We often seek the open hand of God for provision, guidance, or comfort—and rightly so. But before we look for what is in His hand, we must look at His hand. The cross is not only the beginning of grace; it is the center of relationship. We are not invited to admire it from afar—we are called to engage it, even through the vulnerable act of touch, as Thomas was.
Faith may begin with seeing, but it grows through drawing close—through the touch of trust.
Let’s pray-
Heavenly Father, thank You for the open hand of Jesus. Not closed in judgment, not withdrawn in disappointment, but extended in grace, marked by sacrifice, and filled with mercy. Help us to respond to Your invitation—not just to believe from a distance, but to come close, to see the wounds that purchased our peace, and to touch the love that overcame the grave. Let us not rush to the blessings without pausing at the cross. Form in us the faith of Thomas—not only to say “My Lord and my God,” but to live as those transformed by the touch of Christ. In Jesus’ name, amen.
