Day 689

A LOCKED ROOM AND NEW LIGHT

Curtis Jones

1 Peter 1:3-4, John 20:19, 24-25

IN WORD

The disciples awoke to a new reality with the Saturday sun. Their dreams crushed by the hammers and nails of Roman soldiers. Jesus was gone. Now, those murderers aimed their fury at this followers. So, they locked themselves in a tiny room and guarded the door.

As menacing as the storm of politics, jealousy, and religious fervor threatening their lives appeared to be, it was nothing compared to what was stirring inside their minds and hearts. Was it all a mistake? Should James and John have stayed in the boat with their father (Matt 2:21-22)? Was Nathaniel right, could anything good really come out of Nazareth (John 1:46)? Roman soldiers and Jewish leaders were potentially threatening their lives, doubt was threatening their faith. Was the sacrifice all a waste?

We all take our turn with a Saturday morning. The external heat is turned up and internal doubt begins to simmer. Why would God let this happen? If he could have stopped it, why didn't he? Why does he expect so much from me? Does he really have a my best in mind? Does he even remember that I am here? Am I wasting my life with this stuff?

But Sunday morning will chase off Saturday morning. The tomb will be empty. Jesus will bypass the locked door and appear to his doubting disciples. And it will change everything. They will see in a new light. A new depth will be added to the last three years. The miracles and the teaching mean more now.

And even Saturday will be redeemed. The doubts will still be real and the pain will not be erased, but we will se them in the new light of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our seasons of doubt and pain have what the disciples didn't that Saturday: hope.

IN DEED

Let hope bypass your locked door. See your doubts, failures, and suffering in the new light of the resurrection of the Son of God. It offers you what nothing else on earth can offer you.

Let it change everything.

Saturday 4/3