October 8

Twelfth Tuesday after Trinity

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God. 2 Corinthians 3:5.

S. THOMAS said, "Except I shall touch, except I shall put my finger into His Side, I will not believe." His fellow-disciples all announce the fact to him, and he believes not. As yet it was not the day which the Lord had made. Let Him come, let the Head of this day come, and let Him say patiently, gently, and not angrily, for He is a Physician, "Come, come and touch this, and believe. Thou saidst, 'Unless I shall touch, unless I shall put my finger there, I will not believe.' Come, touch, put thy finger there, and be not faithless, but believing." He actually did put His hand there, and made his faith complete. For what is the fulness of faith? That Christ should not be believed in merely as Man, or simply as God, but as God and Man. This is the fulness of faith. When the scars of His Saviour were presented to his touch, he touched, and exclaimed, "My Lord and my God." He touched the Man—he recognised the God. He touched the Flesh—he thought of the Word. This Word allowed His Flesh to be crucified, nails to be driven through His Flesh; His Flesh to be pierced with a spear, and His Flesh to be laid in a sepulchre. This Word raised up His Flesh, presented it to be gazed on by His disciples' eyes, and to be handled by their hand. They touch, and exclaim, "'My Lord and my God,' my sufficiency is of Thee."

Read and confess the Hand Divine That drew thy likeness here so true in every line. For all thy rankling doubts so sore, Love thou thy Saviour still, Him for thy Lord and God adore.