It’s what we do in the meantime, the in between time, that lets our true colors shine. The Apostles and Disciples have experienced the Passion, Crucifixion, and death of our Lord. Soon after the Resurrected Jesus Christ came among them a number of times, often without them recognizing Him at first. The guys are out fishing, walking to Emmaus, in the upper room trying to figure things out when…the Risen Christ appears in their midst. He comes to them in their normal daily activities, and they don’t recognize Him right away. He’s been among them for years. They’ve been through all kinds of things together, yet, it’s only when the Holy Spirit opens their eyes that they recognize Him as the Lord Jesus Christ. I love how God pays attention and orchestrates all of the details in our lives whether we recognize His Handprints or not. Even when we don’t expect things to work out, sometimes when we think they’d be impossible, He appears and provides precisely what He knows we need most. God the Father and Jesus Christ knew that the Apostles and Disciples would require the gifts of the Holy Spirit in order to carry out their mission to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
So far, Jesus had predicted everything that would happen, and they’d watched it play out, sometimes in utter disbelief, while shaking at the knees, then high-tailing it out of harm’s way. They have faith in the Resurrection, now that they’ve been in the Presence of the Risen Christ, but they’re standing there looking up at the clouds when He ascends back to sit at the right hand of the Father. Again, Jesus has told them that He will take care of them. He will give them what they need to be fishers of men, but they doubt.
Does Jesus leave them high and dry? Of course not! He tests their trust in Him, as He’s done all along, then He shows them that He is faithful in all of His promises. He keeps His Word even when we doubt, chicken out, start to pout…though He’s proven time and again His love, Truth, and Presence will remain with us always.
Lord, thank You for remaining with us, loving us, drawing us to You, revealing Your Truth, and infusing us with Your Spirit, even when we doubt. Amen.
