Luke 24:36b-48 (NRSV)
Read Luke 24:36b-48 on biblegateway.com
Verse 36While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." Verse 37They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Verse 38He said to them, "Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Verse 39Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." Verse 40And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. Verse 41While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" Verse 42They gave him a piece of broiled fish, Verse 43and he took it and ate in their presence. Verse 44Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you-that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled." Verse 45Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, Verse 46and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, Verse 47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Verse 48You are witnesses of these things.
Devotion
I don’t come from an Army family. I didn’t grow up hearing about soldiering. I am a chaplain because I felt the call of God to serve soldiers in the National Guard. My call is summarized in Micah, that one day nations will “beat their swords into plowshares” (Micah 4:3). God’s call led me to Army basic training at age 40. I spent two consecutive birthdays in Iraq and I am confident I will spend more birthdays away from family. This is the context in which I have tested the words of Luke 24:36.
Christ appears over and over again in our lives saying, “Peace be with you.” When the “rocket’s red glare” signals bombs bursting in your life, Christ is there. When the “rocket’s red glare” signals celebration because all things are right in your world, Christ is there. Neither chaos nor ecstasy diminishes the power of Christ’s peace.
Prayer
Dear Lord, we pray your peace would reign in our hearts. We pray we would always envision you standing before us offering your peace. Thank you that you reign over both blessings and chaos in our lives. Amen.