As I read in the Gospel of John on this Resurrection Sunday, the Love of Jesus and His desire to bring the children of God home has overwhelmed me. I am in awe of the lengths our Savior will go to in order to show Himself to us.
Mary Magdalene sees and hears the voice of angels announce the Good News that He is Risen and then Messiah stands before her confirming what her eyes have seen and her ears have heard. She doesn’t recognize the Man but when the Shepherd King speaks her name . . . her heart recognizes Him and rejoices!
She lingered at the Tomb, aching to be with Him, and was blessed to be the first to hear Him say “tell of Me!” She saw the Miracle, she heard His voice, and she obeyed.
John and Peter had seen the Empty Tomb but they went away, returned home, wondering what had happened. But Jesus never gives up and there isn’t a place that exists that He won’t come after us! He went where the disciples were. He spoke peace to them. He showed them His hands and His side. They believed what their eyes saw and their ears heard . . .and they rejoiced.
Though they left the empty tomb with uncertainty they responded with joy as they heard Him entrust the news of the Miracle to them, “I am sending you! Tell of Me!”
And Sweet Sister, it isn’t just the wandering that Jesus pursues. He goes after the doubting and the demanding. Thomas wasn’t with the other disciples when Jesus spoke peace over them the evening of the Resurrection but they exploded with the good news as soon as he rejoined them . . . “We have seen the Lord!” But Thomas hadn’t witnessed it and wanted personal proof of the Risen King. Until he put his fingers where the nails were and his hand into the side of Christ, he refused to believe. Thomas doubted and Thomas demanded but Jesus was not dissuaded. He came after Thomas. He held out His nail-scarred hands and offered His pierced side to him.
Jesus showed Himself to Thomas. He peeled the doubt away for him in a real and personal way and Thomas responded with belief declaring Him to be the Lord.
The Author of Life called to the lingerer, met the ones who left, and showed Himself to the doubter. Wherever they found themselves . . . HE FOUND THEM and the One who is the Miracle produced a miracle . . . He stirred their souls to believe.
And this is where my heart really starts to race—He did not stop with those blessed to encounter Him as He wore flesh . . .John 20:29-31
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed, blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Beloved, those blessed ones, those who may believe and have life, are us!
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:8-9
See no matter who we are, the one who aches to be near Him, the one who leaves and goes home or the one who doubts and demands . . . the Savior will find us! He will show Himself to us. He will summon us by name. He will come after us and stir our hearts in real and personal ways.
Our Jesus who is the same yesterday, today and forever still does miracles! Girlfriend, if you have confessed Him as your Savior . . . YOU ARE ONE!
If you haven’t, as long as you draw breath . . . it is not too late to BE ONE!
The stirring of hearts has not ceased. The Miracle story is still unfolding. The glorious conclusion will not be written until the joy of true beginning—faith becoming sight, glory taking shape—is before us. Until then, the pages will continue to be inked with the blood of the Lamb and we who are the miracles will be filled with the joy of the Risen King. We will go forth in His Name, we will shout His praise, we will rejoice and with every miracle heart beat of new life we will TELL OF HIM!
Jesus did many other miracles AS WELL. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. John 21:25
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