Good morning, Lord Jesus. High and holy One, God Most High—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—be One in me; make me one in You, with Your mind and Your heart, throughout the moments of my day. …
“When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ After He said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord” (John 20:19-20).
After Your resurrection, Your disciples rejoiced when they saw You. And they knew it was You because of Your scars. Your hands were scarred by the nails of our sins. Your side was scarred by the pierce of a lance that pierced the heart of the mother who gave You birth as Son of Man in human flesh.
You died and they fled. Fear and shame overwhelmed them. And those who saw the very power of God flow through those hands that would be nailed to a cross, were now trembling in the fear of man and the shame of their lack of courage to stand with You in faith. But You didn’t rebuke them or condemn them. You didn’t turn away from them or abandon them. You came to them. And in their fear and shame You spoke to you’re your words of comfort and peace.
In Your peace, they found forgiveness from their sins, deliverance from their fears, and healing from their shame. In their encounter with the Resurrected Christ, their spirits were resurrected into newness of life and fullness of joy. They “rejoiced when they say the Lord”—their Lord, the Lord of all, the Lord Who conquered the grave, defeated hell, and rose again to empower them to live a resurrected life in You. One encounter with the Resurrected Christ changed their lives forever.
Lord, let me encounter You every day. Let me see the scars You eternally bear for me. Let me remember what Your scars mean for me—the forgiveness, deliverance, and healing of resurrected life in Christ every moment of every day. Neither the worries and fears I may face in the present nor the shame and sin of the failures of my past can keep me from rejoicing in the destiny I have in You. You’ve changed my life forever. And I want to carry and share Your resurrected life wherever I am and to whomever You send me—no fear, no shame, just rejoicing in the fullness of joy I have in You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
Friends, may you be filled with the fullness of joy of the Resurrected Christ living in You!
Please keep us in prayer, as I fly to Texas tomorrow to lead the Clergy Retreat this weekend with 42 pastors and my great friend Eradio Valverde, District Superintendent of he Corpus Christi District of the United Methodist Church in Southwest Texas (www.ccdistrictumc.org). I've been asked to speak and minister on The Prayer Ministry of a Pastor and I'm very excited for this incredible opportunity to be an encouragement and blessing to these pastors in their ministries. Thank you for all the ways you cover me and our ministry in prayer to be able to make a difference in the Kingdom of God through our Resurrected Christ at home and abroad!
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