What Thomas Missed

“But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.” (John 20:24)

Thomas was conspicuous by his absence at the meeting of the ten with Jesus that evening. Peter was there, even though just three days earlier, he had denied that he knew Jesus. Of course, Judas was not there. He had betrayed Jesus, selling him to the Jewish authorities for thirty pieces of silver. His deed brought him deep remorse and he committed suicide by hanging himself.

But, I have often wondered why Thomas was not present. Thomas missed the assurance the others received from the resurrection appearance of Jesus. He missed the fellowship with and strength from the other disciples. He missed the gladness that the others had from seeing Jesus.

When we miss church we miss blessings. Jesus said that where two or three are gathered together in His name that He is in the midst. We are told not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. But we are to exhort one another. We encourage or discourage others by our church attendance or lack of it. When we miss we do not receive the message God has for us from His messenger.