John 16:22 “Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.”
Let’s imagine the joy of the disciples when they first saw the risen Christ. Unspeakable joy must have filled their hearts. Peter and the rest of the disciples saw Jesus, risen from the dead, on the third day after He spoke these words. Peter spoke of this joy when he wrote about our new birth through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, “and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls” (1 Pet. 1:8-9).
No one can take away this inexpressible joy any more than they can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus. I hope you’ll take a moment and join the disciples in that moment that Jesus appeared to them for the first time after His death. For them and us, it means that our all sin has been removed, death has been conquered, we are never to die, and we know we will forever be with the Lord. We are the beloved of God. May our hearts be filled with His love and joy today so we can love others with Him as a testimony that Jesus lives!
Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com
