Scripture
Our verse for today comes from John 21:4, “But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.”
Background
This is not the first time that Jesus went unrecognized, is it? Directly after His resurrection, He was mistaken for a gardener a few feet from where they had laid His dead body. When He appeared behind the locked doors to the disciples, they first thought He was a spirit. The two guys walking to Emmaus thought He must have been living under a rock the past few days as He seemed to be the only one in town who didn’t know what had happened up on Golgotha a few days earlier. And back on the heels of feeding the 5,000 with a couple fish and five loaves of bread, the disciples thought He was a ghost as He walked across the water towards their boat. So it should be no great surprise that when the risen Jesus shows up unexpectedly at the beach, the disciples fishing off shore do not know who is calling out to them. To be fair, it wasn’t yet their default mode to look for Jesus in every situation. And it might not be yours, either. Struggles and challenges may still strike you as negative and attacks instead of opportunities to see Jesus have His way. Disappointments may lead you to wonder where is God rather than drawing you in closer to where He is actually operating.
Application
At our house, it feels like the wheels have come off to a certain extent recently. Major repairs beckon for the car and house, and resources and time are stretched beyond thin. But that’s life. Overseas, God’s children are being persecuted and harmed, even by their loved ones, as they take up the cross and leave behind their former religion. Is that life for them? Is Jesus there when the bills pile up? Is He there when your family considers you dead to them or the government beats you or tries to ruin your livelihood? Scripture tells us He is. Jesus Himself tells us so. It may not yet be your default mode to see Him then, or you may have stopped looking to Him for whatever reason. But He is there, and nothing will change that. And He will take care of all that you give Him.
Charge
As we seek Him today, look for Jesus when the morning comes, when the storms blow, and every time in between. Experience the peace of walking by faith.
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