“On the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples had gathered together, and locked the doors of the place because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.” —John 20:19–20
It is amazing how fear and despondency can change to peace and joy in the blinking of an eye when our circumstances change. The phone call from someone that has been missing, the good lab report after a bad scare of a dreaded disease, the rebellious child returning at the doorstep seeking repentance, the wayward spouse wanting reunion—all of life is filled with these types of situations! Indeed, the proverb is true:
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”—Proverbs 13:12
But this longing is not just any kind of longing. It is a Biblical hope that clings to what we know to be true. It is not wishful thinking or simply optimism. This longing is based on the truth of God’s Word. It rests solidly on the promises of the One who does not change no matter what our circumstances! A firm belief in God’s Word and His faithfulness and unchanging love for us will keep us consistently even—particularly as we face trying and difficult situations. This is not to say life will be easy or without harsh trials and tribulations. Yet as God’s children, everything that happens to us has passed through His loving hands. He wants us to prove Him faithful during our fires. He desires for us to trust Him with our lives. We must choose to trust Him.
Biblical hope is the expectation that what has been promised will be fulfilled. God is good and loving all the time! But it is important to remember that God remains consistently and lovingly focused on our holiness and conformity to the image of His Son. He made us. He knows this is the ultimate way of life for us. That is the promise we find in Romans:
“And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose, because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” —Romans 8:28–29
“Could you ask for a better promise? It is better that all things should work for my good than all things should be as I would wish to have them. All things might work for my pleasure and yet might all work my ruin. If all things do not always please me, they will always benefit me. This is the best promise of this life.” —Charles Haddon Spurgeon
In our verses for today, even though Jesus had told them exactly what would take place, the disciples seem to be confused and full of anxiety—holed up in a locked room for fear of the Jews. Surely this is why our Lord enters their presence with the reassuring words, “Peace be with you.” The word peace means “tranquility, repose, calm, harmony, prosperity; it denotes a state of untroubled, undisturbed well-being” (Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible–New Testament Lexical Aids). It is a peace that is unearthly in its nature.
Earlier in John, Jesus said to His disciples:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be distressed or lacking in courage.” —John 14:27
“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage—I have conquered the world.” —John 16:33
Because of our relationship with Jesus, we too can experience this kind of peace! It is His desire for all of His followers to experience the calm that comes from a heart that is too deeply rooted in God to be affected by the ups and downs of this life.
Become More
God often keeps testing us—seeking to get our attention. Remember: His ways are always aligned with our best interest even if we cannot readily perceive it.
“Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 4:6–7
Hang on to God’s promises of peace—the wind will not always blow. God is always faithful to His Word.
Further Reflections
“Many people owe the grandeur of their lives to their tremendous difficulties.” —Charles H. Spurgeon
“Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we encounter death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us! For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” —Romans 8:35–39