As I sit here to begin our time together, Father, I am once again listening to Christmas music! I know it is almost a month past, but everything was so out of the norm this year, that its warmth and nostalgia accompany the comfort You afford quite well!
Luke 24:1-12 (<<click here to read the passage)
Some things in life take a while to come about. Karen and I tied the knot in June of 1986 whereupon she moved out to St. Louis where I was serving as a Minister of Music. I was there one more year. We then moved to Marietta, Ohio, where I served a church for one year total. After that, we moved to Columbus, Ohio where I began working at a Christian bookstore.
So, we had two addresses in St. Louis, country-raised Karen was really uncomfortable with people living on top of her. (We started off in an old three-story apartment complex.) We then had one in Marietta and one in Columbus. All along we had been scrimping and saving to be able to afford a home of our own. So, in the late summer of 1989, we were finally able to move into our fifth address in five years of marriage! It was a long time coming and it seemed too good to be true, but we became homeowners and still live in the same house, 30+ years later!
Peter had been a part of Jesus’ life for over three years. They had traveled extensively. He had listened and seen so many things. He had come to love Jesus as many of Jesus’ followers had but…Peter wasn’t just any follower.
Now maybe on occasion, Peter felt he was unique…just like everybody else – but Jesus knew who Peter was. And in spite of who Peter was, Jesus loved him, too. He knew not only the Peter that everybody else saw and knew but He also knew the Peter deep down inside that maybe even Peter struggled to understand. And most important of all, Jesus knew who Peter could be.
Up to this point in Peter’s story, there had been quite a few more downs than there had been ups. He had been the first to vocalize who Jesus was, the promised Messiah. But oft than not he was quite adept at inserting his foot into his mouth.
But at this moment in Peter’s life, everything seemed to have fallen through his hands. Jesus was gone. He and the other disciples were in hiding with fears that they would be next. Then seemingly out of nowhere Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women came and told the apostles of their experience with the two men…clothed in dazzling robes.
But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. It was just too good to be true…wasn’t it?

However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.

I may have seemed too good to be true, but true it was and within a few hours they would believe, as well!
Lord Jesus, doubt is all about us and though it may seem too good to be true, You are alive! May we cast aside that doubt sooner rather than later.

Seek the Lord while He may be found;
Call on Him [for salvation] while He is near.
Let the wicked leave (behind) his way
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
And let him return to the Lord,
And He will have compassion (mercy) on him,
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon. Isaiah 55:6-7 AMP

Jan 20th, 2021, Wed, 4:31 pm