Cell Phone Revelations

It was November 5, 2013, I would be helping a group as they watched the Billy Graham video, "The Cross" that evening.  It was a very important day; I was feeling a little nervous.  I got down on my knees beside my bed to pray and as I did I reached for my cell phone to put it away so I would not be interrupted for the next few minutes.

As I pulled my iPhone out of my pocket I realized it had been opened to my internet browser and it had opened BibleGateway.com to John 20:19.  I was shocked because I had not been searching on it recently and I was puzzled how it could "accidentally" gotten to those places.  Here is what John 20:19 says, "On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"

I took it as something I really needed to read that day.

I read on and verse 21 said, "Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you!  As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."  Now I really knew that was something that I needed to read that day.  I knelt there not really knowing what to pray, just trying to soak it all in.  Before I could even say anything in prayer, I had been shown what I needed to hear that day.

God is faithful, that night went well.  The gospel was shared, there was not a great response but I had a real sense that seeds were planted.  But more than that, I went to that gathering to watch Billy Graham's final message with an awareness that the risen Lord was with me.  That really changed my perspective.  I wasn't just going, I was sent.  I didn't have to be afraid, Jesus was there to bring me peace.  Just as surely as he showed up in that locked upper room, he was there that night in a borrowed living room with that group of people offering peace to us all.  What I set out to do that day was not changed.  My perspective on what I set out to do was.

I have read that passage numerous times.  I have read over the notes I wrote down that morning several times since then.  I sensed that this passage is what we need to focus on this Resurrection Day morning.  The resurrected Lord stands here among us and he offers us his peace, even if it doesn't just pop up on our cell phones.

for the journey...

Tim