Jesus came

In the aftermath of Jesus' resurrection, his disciples were crowded together behind locked doors, fearing they might be the next target for ill-treatment.

Then, there in all their terror, uncertainty, disappointments and bewilderment, we read, 'Jesus came' (John 20 v 19) My heart responds to that. Endorsing that Jesus by his spirit still comes even into our seemingly impossibly dark situations. And, as with those first disciples, Jesus stands with us as he promised.

Here's a poem from my first book, Seeing in the Dark, written from this verse.

He came

He came in the darkness.

Laid bare his scars, his wounds

and said he knew:

Knew the pain and loss, the disgrace and the waste.

Knew the brokenness and hurt, the betrayal and guilt.

Knew the aloneness and emptiness.

Knew how fear and anger could torture and imprison.

He came into the darkness,

offered his own damaged hands, his butchered feet,

his spear-torn side.

He came to invite touch, truth, belief,

faith, trust, peace and healing.

“Stretch out your hands,” he said,

“I AM.”

© Seeing in the Dark by Hilary Allen