John 20:19
That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Timothy likes to pretend that something is after him… a lion, a hyena, or even a bear. He will cower or hide and say, “We have to get away from the scary animal!” He’s only pretending, but let’s face it… in life, there are a lot of times when we would like to “lock the door” – and lock out the “scary animals!” Maybe it’s concern about a class … or a final exam. Maybe we are starting a new job and we are nervous. Perhaps we are meeting someone for the first time, and we have anxiety. Or maybe a doctor is giving us the results of tests or x-rays… and we are worried.
No matter how daunting life situations become, we must remember that we are never alone. Jesus is standing there with us. He offers us His peace and the promise that He will guide us through any and all circumstances. He will calm our fears… He will give us comfort and courage to face whatever lies before us… no matter how large or small our challenge seems.
We are fortunate that we live in a country where we don’t have to lock our doors in order to worship God. Until a few years ago, most church buildings in America were never locked. You could slip into a sanctuary on any street corner and spend a few quiet minutes communicating with God and feeling His presence in a holy setting. Most of these buildings are no longer open 24/7… because of possible vandalism - not the prospect of persecution. Unlike Jesus’ disciples, we are free to worship God on any street corner… anywhere and anytime we choose. And Jesus is standing there with us.
As Christians, we have acknowledged that we believe in Jesus as our Savior… that we trust Him to cover our sins – and to give us hope and peace in this life and for all eternity. Now it is time for us to act upon what we have declared. Whenever we feel nervous, afraid, worried, concerned, or disturbed in any manner, we need to remember that Jesus is standing right beside us, saying, “Peace be with you.” With Jesus by our side, we can face any challenge with hope and confidence… and complete calm.
Do you feel His presence today? Have you unlocked the door and allowed Jesus to come in? Isn’t it time you did?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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