My father has been in the hospital this week. His failing health is getting weaker and weaker. I had a phone call from his wife this morning that he did not recognize anyone. Many times, because of medicines and illnesses, people get to a mind set of confusion and it is difficult for them to recognize people, even those that are closest to them.
As I was thinking about that this morning, I was thinking about Jesus Disciples. Have you ever noticed that Jesus' followers had difficulty recognizing Him when He appeared to them after His resurrection?
- He appeared to Mary and she thought He was a gardener. (John 20:14, 15)
- He appeared, walked and talked with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and they did not realize it was Him. (Luke 24:13-32)
- He yelled to the disciples in the boat fishing and they did not recognize Him. (John 21:4)
Why couldn't they recognize Him? Did their grief blind them?
Human pain and suffering can do that. It can give the illusion that we're all alone and we do not recognize those around us, even our closest loved ones.
Could it have been their lack of expectation? Jesus had died. They knew death was final, so they did not expect to see Jesus again. Even if this man looked like Jesus, it could not be Him. He was dead.
Or could it be that they were kept from recognizing Him?
Could it be that they were being taught a new way of seeing Jesus?
Even though they did not recognize Jesus right away, they did have their eyes opened. In each case something happened that opened their eyes to the startling realization - that it was Jesus!
There is so much we can learn from the disciples. In fact, the way they were taught to see Jesus is the way we, who have never seen Jesus physically, are to see and recognize Him. In Christ we have the grace and senses needed to see. Just because we don't recognize or hear Him doesn't mean that He is not with us.
2 Corinthians 5:7 "For we walk by faith, not by sight."
you amaze me.
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