36 While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.” Luke 24: 36
How is the world going to deal with the Israel – Iran conflict right now? Will we be pulled into war or will it blow over … again. For those of us with children, grandchildren, friends, relatives of friends, this is not an academic question. I have friends with theories on “end times” and they are preparing also. Then there are probably many who are wrapped up in the issues of their own lives. I suspect Easter morning was much like this. Some were quite involved in the discussion of the missing body of Jesus. The followers were meeting behind locked doors, scared, as they were being accused of being thieves. Cleopas and friend who had just encountered the risen Christ on the road to Emmaus had rushed back to tell the others in Jerusalem. In the midst of the threats from without, the confusion within, and the exhaustion of the weekend, Jesus appears and stands among them. That is a conversation stopper for sure!
Jesus first word was, “Peace.” Jesus did not choose to deal with the confusion outside among the people. He could have. He could have appeared in public in the Temple as he had so many times and told the whole religious hierarchy to chill. He could have ended the confusion right there. CNN would have loved to have been on the spot. The pundits could be interviewed for weeks probably. But Jesus did not deal with the anxiety, the questions, the doubts with a big public splash that took the pressure off the followers. He appeared personally in a locked room with his little band of followers and dealt with them personally.
The peace that Jesus was talking about was different. It seems he does not deal with “issues” by removing the issue but by assuring us of his presence and that he, not the removal of stress, is the solution. We find real peace in our relationship with a risen Lord.
So perhaps on a piece of paper this morning we might jot down in two columns – outside issues I pray for peace and in the other column the internal anxieties I need to bring to God today.
Actually he is interested in both and working in both spheres of our lives. We can relax and leave our concerns in his nail pierced hands. Take a deep breath and pray!
On the Way to Wonder 