“I’ll believe it when I see it.” thought Barabas to himself.  Barabas and Uncle Floyd had gotten a letter from Frank, Barabas’s father.  Frank works as a janitor at Disney Internet Group on Lenkershim Blvd in North Hollywood, in CA.  “I’ll believe it when I see it.” Barabas thought again.

In his letter, Frank promised Barabas that he would come and visit over Easter.  Barabas has been disappointed so many times by his father.  But Frank has been doing well lately and maybe this time he would not disappoint his son.  But still, when they got the letter Barabas keep his expectations low.  He didn’t let himself expect too much, because when you expect a lot and it never comes, it is so discouraging.

On Easter morning, when Uncle Floyd woke Barabas up, the first words Barabas said were “Did he come?”  And Uncle Floyd needed to say “I reckon he couldn’t make it son.”  And Barabas felt crushed.  It just seems that Frank continues to disappoint those who love him.

After that first Easter, all the disciples got together in a room with the doors closed and locked, because they never knew if the authorities might burst through and arrest them, like they had arrested Jesus!  The disciples had to be very careful now that Jesus had died on the cross, now that Jesus was dead.  They were discouraged and disappointed beyond belief.  They were almost beyond . . . belief . . . that is was impossible for Christ to be held in the power of death.

Then suddenly, in the midst of the locked doors and belief stretched to the breaking, (place Risen Christ) Jesus walked in through locked doors, alive and talking.  He said “Peace be with you!”  The disciples greeted Jesus with belief and rejoicing and indescribable joy! 

Afterwards, the disciples ran and told Thomas, who, of all days to be missing from the group had missed on THAT day.  “We have seen the Lord!” they told Thomas. 

Now, how can you see a dead man alive?  Thomas was afraid to expect too much.  If he hoped for this to be true, that Jesus was alive again, and then it was NOT true, he would be even more disappointed and discouraged than he was when Jesus died on the cross.  That would be too devastating.  So Thomas kept his expectations low.  Thomas told the others “I will believe it when I see it.” 

The next time the disciples were together Thomas wondered “Will He come?”  Unlike Barabas’s father, Jesus did NOT disappoint those who love and follow him!  Jesus came and spoke to Thomas and Thomas believed that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead!  Alleluia! 

After dinner on Easter day, when Barabas and Uncle Floyd and Elizabeth and her whole family were playing games, like Parcheesi, Barabas thought back on his earlier disappointment about his father.  Barabas looked around at the friendship and love he felt at the table and saw that everyone there was filled with the joy and celebration of Easter.

And Barabas felt joy also.  Sometimes people we love will disappoint us, however (turn Barabas towards Risen Christ), Jesus will NEVER disappoint us.  We can always believe in Jesus!  Alleluia!         THE END

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