April 2020

“I will go before you….”

Matthew 26.32 (AKJV)

For Christians Easter is a time of rejoicing.  But let us go back to the events of the time. The lives of the disciples had been radically changed.  From walking and living with Jesus for three years they had fled from the scene of Jesus’ arrest and ultimate crucifixion.   Peter had denied Jesus three times and now they were huddled together, frightened and bewildered by the cataclysmic events that had taken place.

Before His death Jesus had foreseen this situation and had told His disciples on the way to the Mount of Olives that they would all fall away because of Him, but crucially He had also said “After I have risen I will go before you to Galilee”.  When the women find the empty tomb, an angel asks them to go and tell the disciples that Jesus has risen and will go ahead of them to Galilee and they will see Him there.  Then Jesus meets them Himself and tells them not to be afraid. This encounter transforms them. They are filled with new hope and courage knowing that Jesus had forgiven them and has a mission for them, one which would ultimately change the world.

What had seemed to the disciples to be the end was in fact a new beginning.  Their failure had led to their forgiveness and reinstatement, and most importantly this unlikely group of disciples would become apostles and would eventually bring about the birth of Christianity.

Sometimes, in life, we are offered an opportunity or joy that we would never have expected.  We just need to be open and ready and let Jesus lead the way to our own Galilee, for He has a plan for each one of us.

ut however many tim

The disciples had let Jesus down.  But however many times we feel we have failed, we have the assurance of His forgiveness.  Our trust in Him will give us the courage to take the next step where He will walk before us, leading the way.   He will lead us to greater things, our fear will turn to confidence, and our failures will be transformed into new beginnings.  “I will go before you”.