Luke 24:36–53

Be still: Lord God, would you stand with me today and speak your peace over my life. Calm my doubts, quiet my fears and help me to know your truth. Amen. 

Read: Luke 24:36-53 

 He said to them, 'Why are you troubled and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself!'

Encounter: As a kid, I used to have horrible nightmares and they always felt so real. I would snap awake with my heart racing, and often find that I’d been crying. Even though I was safely in my own bed, it would take several minutes, along with the comforting sound of my parents' voices, for me to feel fully grounded back in reality and convince myself that I wasn’t in any danger. 

In this passage, we find the disciples in a state of shock. They’re huddled in a room, wrestling with rumours of a resurrection, when suddenly Jesus himself stands among them. His first words are ‘Peace be with you’. Yet, instead of instant joy, they’re terrified, thinking they’re seeing a ghost. Their minds cannot bridge the gap between the trauma of Friday and the reality of Sunday. 

But Jesus is incredibly patient, not getting angry with their lack of belief; instead, he offers them physical proof. He shows his wounded hands and feet, and he even asks for a piece of fish to eat with them. He grounds them in reality. Then, just as he did on the Emmaus Road, he opens their minds to understand the Scriptures, showing them that everything has happened according to God's grand design of redemption. 

 As Luke’s Gospel closes, we see an incredible transformation. The fearful, hiding disciples are led out to Bethany. After Jesus blesses them and ascends into heaven, they don't hide in grief. Instead, they return to Jerusalem with great joy, continually praising God in the temple. The presence of the risen Christ and the promise of his Holy Spirit changed everything. 

Apply: Do you have any doubts or fears troubling you today? Where do you need the risen Jesus to step in and say, ‘Peace be with you’? Bring those specific anxieties to him and allow his presence to ground you. 

Devote: Lord Jesus, thank you for meeting me in my doubts and fears with incredible patience and grace. Stand in the centre of my life today and fill me with your peace.