The Doors Being Shut

John 20:26
And after eight days his disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them, Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”

There have been times in all our lives when we have tried to isolate ourselves behind shut doors. Times when we were afraid. Times when we were disappointed. Times when we have been traumatized when all we wanted to do was go somewhere and hide behind shut doors. People tried to convince us that it was safe to come out, that Jesus was alive but we refused to move and stayed behind shut doors.

The doors can be physical where we come home and seclude ourselves from the world because it’s safer not to interact due to fear of betrayal. The doors can be intellectual where we refuse to believe in Jesus because no man has ever come back from the dead and religious people with their hypocrisy have convinced me to stay behind shut doors. Shut doors can be emotional. It hurts too bad; I just need to sit here until it stops hurting.

But God has a way of sending Jesus through shut doors. Once Jesus was resurrected he was no longer limited by the physical. He walked through a shut door and he does the same today. If you will not come to him he will still come to you.

Jesus can overcome intellectual stubbornness. Thomas said, “I will not believe unless I put my finger in his hands and my hand in his side. “ When Jesus came through the shut door and told Thomas to feel his wounds Thomas believed and said, “My Lord and my God.” Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me you have believed, Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed.”

The Holy Sprit enables many people behind shut intellectual doors to experience Jesus intuitively before they can make adjustments in their intellectual reasoning. Sometimes you have to feel him before you believe him, but it's better to believe him before you feel him. In order to have a holistic faith, you need to feel him and believe in him.

Lastly, Jesus can come through emotional shut doors and restore balance by saying, “Peace to you.”

This morning whatever is troubling you I say Peace! Peace means nothing missing nothing broken. Peace means health and wholeness. Peace means God will provide. When Jesus says Peace, there will be Peace even behind shut doors.

Dear God, thank you for showing up behind shut doors. I almost gave up but then you showed up with so much Peace. I believe you are here with me because I feel your presence. I will stay in perfect peace because my mind is stayed on you. As I go out of my door today to face the world that crucified you, I pray your peace go with me so I too can go through shut doors.

In Jesus Name.
Amen.