Following the momentous events of Easter, I’ve been drawn to this account of Jesus making himself known to his disciples after his resurrection.
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said ‘Peace be with you.’ John 20:19
The questions came to me: What are you hiding from? What are you afraid of? Have you got locked doors in your life?
The disciples fear was natural as they’d witnessed the brutal murder of their closest friend. They were in a vulnerable position and were finding it very hard to accept the women’s account of meeting with the risen Jesus.
Sometimes, like those disciples, I feel very vulnerable and hide myself away inside a fixed mentality. I convince myself that I must be cautious about the odds against me or realistic about the likelihood of anything good happening. Am I praying for God to intervene in a situation? But I dare not believe he will possibly answer my own prayers. So I hide, burying my hope and trust in case it proves futile.
Fear is one of Satan’s greatest weapons and he uses it to great effect to sow doubt in our hearts about God’s love or ability to change things. He wants to isolate us, so we lock doors for fear of what others will do or say. With the disciples it was literal doors, but we can equally lock our heart doors against hope and trust. We hide ourselves away believing that is the wisest and safest thing we can do.
I asked Jesus once to show me what my locked doors looked like. Some quite surprising things came to mind including, being busy, spiritual activity and being too sensible! I wouldn’t have considered any of those things as a locked door but as I reflected with the Holy Spirit, I realised that while good in themselves, they all had potential to make me hide my real self away.
Have you thought of asking Jesus what your locked doors might be?
I love it that with no fanfare, Jesus came among them and said, ‘peace be with you.’ Our locked doors can never keep Jesus out. He wanted to be with his friends and give them his gift of peace. The peace that Jesus gives is full of divine power, enabling us to step out in his strength. He knew how conflicted they were in their thoughts, longing to believe but too terrified. Jesus knows our hearts and never condemns us. He showed them his hands and side and the power of their fear was broken as they were filled with joy.
They were still in the locked room, but Jesus was with them. Can you see that Jesus is in your locked room with you, offering you his gift of peace and joy? Will you take hold of it today?
After they made that shift from fear and unbelief to peace and joy, Jesus sent them out. ‘’As the Father has sent me, I am sending you,’ he said. The locked doors would no longer hide them away. Not because the enemy had broken in, but because Jesus was sending them out. How awesome is the freedom he brings us when we recognise that he is alongside us,even in our hiding places, and dare to receive his gift of peace and start to live.
I pray that Jesus will meet with you today wherever you are hiding and you’ll be filled with joy as you receive his gift of peace. Amen.
