Our Resurrected King

"There are also many other things Jesus did. If they should all be recorded one by one [in detail], I suppose that even the world itself could not contain (have room for) the books that would be written."
                                                                                                                                        John 21:25





Jesus' disciples had experienced the Triumphal Entry, the Last Supper, and the Crucifixion. Terror and confusion plagued them (John 20:19) and what they perceived as an horrific ending had, in fact, marked a beautiful and glorious beginning. However, much more revelation would have to be given for them to even begin to understand the mysterious ways of our God.

In Jesus' last recorded miracle, seven of His disciples were out fishing on the Sea of Galilee. Still reeling from the death of their Lord and Savior, they cast off for the territory that was familiar and comfortable to them- fishing. However, on this particular day, despite their skill and expertise, they were still coming up empty-handed. They did not yet realize that Jesus' death and resurrection had changed everything.

Suddenly, an unknown voice called to them from the shore. He said,"Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some" (John 21:6). Even though this seemed an illogical request given to them by a stranger, they still complied with the command. We are told that "when they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish" (John 21:6). Stunned, John exclaimed to Peter, "It is the Lord!" (John 21:7).

Their recognition that this was Jesus came from two truths that they knew deeply: no one else could perform this miracle and they had seen Jesus do it before (Luke 5:1-7). Jesus' relationship with His disciples began and ended with a miraculous catch of fish, symbolic of the fact that He was calling them to be "fishers of men". Their success was assured when they were willing to listen to Jesus, obey, and receive His power, even if His request seemed foolish or counter-intuitive.

Blessings follow obedience when we walk in relationship with Christ. Sometimes there are times of silence from God, making trusting Him the hardest thing in the world to do. Ultimately, though, His silence will end and we will be given a greater revelation of who Jesus is and what greater objective He is accomplishing in our lives.

Miracles continued through the book of Acts (healing, raising the dead, conversions, deliverance from prison, signs and wonders, protection from vipers, as well as several people being struck dead because of their lack of obedience to God). As God released power from heaven through the Holy Spirit, there were also miracles that occurred simultaneously to the masses of peoples. God established His church and allowed them to be witnesses that testified of His works.

We, too, are witnesses that testify of the works of Christ. Some are big occurrences in our lives where we recognize that only the hand of God could have orchestrated particular circumstances to work in our behalf. Others are smaller blessings that require vision from the Holy Spirit in order for us to see. Either way, it is important that we learn to wait for God, hope in Him, and expect to see His goodness in the way He deems best for us.

God is constantly working in each one of our lives, even if we cannot see it or do not feel it. Our responsibility is to hold fast to the truths we know from the Bible and the truths we have learned from God, Himself. This comes from our relationship with Christ and the deeper truths we have come to know through walking with Him. The best way to always know the truth is to always know The Truth.

Often, we want to expedite God's timing and circumvent His ways. We hope and believe for instantaneous miracles and solutions when, in actuality, it is God's plan and purpose to teach us to trust Him more as He navigates us through life's storms.

When we journal or remind ourselves of things God has taught us or what He has done in us or in our lives, it gives us hope, encouragement, and a strategy for prayer. It also keeps us from having to repeat lessons we have learned previously so that we can avoid present and future pitfalls. The author of the book of Hebrews says, "It is crucial that we keep a firm grip on what we've heard so that we don't drift off" (Hebrews 2:1).

God is delighted when His children live with an expectant spirit, continually assured that God will do what He says He will do. Expectancy is the attitude we need after we step out in faith that will carry us to the completion of God's promises. It is imperative that the people we listen to also have a spirit of expectancy because others can easily cause us to doubt.

Doubt comes when we view our circumstances through the eyes of our human perspective rather than through the eyes of faith. When the children of Israel marched around the walls of Jericho (Joshua, Chapter 6), God did not allow them to talk to each other. Is it possible that they could have talked each other out of their miracle?

Our leaders are to be those whose faith we can emulate (Hebrews 13:7). Similarly, our friends and closest confidants should be people who encourage us to live in expectancy. Likewise, we should continually offer an expectant spirit to those whom God has placed in our lives.

Live in wonder. Expect to see God in the little and the big things. Remember all that God has done in us and through us. As we become a people that learn to wait, hope, and expect to see God, we will become a people who will see our Resurrected King!


"Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord."
                                                                                                                             Psalm 27:14