They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! John 20:20 (NLT)
John 20 is such a sweet chapter. I love it because I can imagine the sheer joy that plunked itself right in the midst of Jesus’s followers whom He appeared to after His Resurrection. But His appearing isn’t all that I love, as if that weren’t enough. I particularly love that He showed up in the middle of His followers’ fears, and He replaced those fears with joy.
All who know Him as Savior will experience that transformation one day when He returns without warning to rescue His own. What a shift for the heart, to go from pain and fear to soar with the Lord of heaven and earth. But in the meantime, He gives us His Spirit, Who is here for us now. Just as His disciples didn’t have to be masters of faith to be worthy of His presence, we don’t have to have it “all together” to earn His time either.
No matter how discombobulated I may be these days, no matter how crazy this day seems, my Jesus will show up for me, and His arrival will bring me joy and neutralize fear. I want more of that! Later in that chapter, Jesus appeared to Thomas, who didn’t believe Jesus was present until Thomas could see Him. To that, Jesus replied, “‘You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway’” (verse 29).
I want more joy from Jesus’ presence, but I also want His blessing for believing He is with me even when I can’t see Him, even when fear hovers. Joy and blessing and freedom from fear… I’m going for the whole package. By His grace, I will trust Him when I can’t see Him and I’ll go ahead and feel the joy now.
Faith Step: Ask Jesus to fill you with joy and blessing because you believe He is with you right now.
