On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
The disciples had just experienced a shaking. Jesus was crucified. They have lost a leader, hope and their future was uncertain, to say the least. They were in fear and they were in a lockdown of sort. Then Jesus, appeared to them in person behind the closed door and pronounced the one thing they so desperately needed: Peace!
During Movement Control Order periods, people’s movement and daily activities are greatly restricted. Covid-19 has huge adverse impact on communities and nations. Many lives are affected, and many more will be affected in the near future. Life in this kind of lockdown is difficult, the future is uncertain. More than just economic hardship and threat to lives, the impact on social, emotional and spiritual life is beyond our imagination.
In the midst of this sense of hopelessness and helplessness, we may feel that we are trapped, locked down, but God cannot be locked out from our circumstance. He is still in control. He still longs to come to us in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in and bring us peace. He wants to be close to us, and involves in our lives personally. But we must allow Him, invite Him, seek Him and wait on Him. We need to permit Him to have His way in our lives. We need to enthrone Him as King and Lord of our lives.
You may be in some kind of “lockdown” due to whatever reason. The problem or “mountain” you are facing may seem enormous to you. You may feel that you are trapped and cut off from all possible helps. But no problem or mountain is too big to lock our God out of your situation. He can invade into your circumstance and bring peace and calm in the midst the storm. Fix your eyes on Him and see how much bigger He is than your problem.
Pray earnestly to invite Jesus to take hold of every part your life. Expect to encounter Him and hear Him say to you behind those closed doors, “Peace be with you!”