Understanding

For as yet they did not know the scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. John 20:9

This picture of the Canadian woods highlights something to me that is interesting reagarding our understanding of spiritual things.  The Apostle Paul wrote, "For now we see through a glass darkly, but then, face to face." (1 Corinthians 13:12).  Just as there is light and shadow in this picture, our understanding in life is like that.

Most of the disciples had walked with Jesus for 3 years.  Some had had more intimate interraction with him that others.  John, who wrote the verse above, was one of the inner circle.  He would have heard most, if not all of Jesus' teaching.  The disciples must have been miserable and confused on that first "Easter" morning.  Their Saviour - dead. They didn't understand that he was a Saviour for the whole world, past, present and future, not just their world of Israel at that time; and in order to accomplish that he was to be a sacrifice through death and then would rise again. Finding the tomb empty added to their confusion.

I found it interesting that John should write "For as yet they did not know the scripture, that He must rise again from the dead", because it is recorded in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, that Jesus had told them plainly that he would suffer at the hands of men, be scourged killed and then on the third day, he would rise again. John, however, says that they did not know the scripture.  He refers to Psalm 16:10 which alludes to Jesus rising from death when it says, "You will not leave my soul in (hell), nor will you allow your Holy One to see corruption." 

Sometimes when we are told scriptural truths or we read the word and yet we still don't understand.  It is like our understanding is darkened for a time.  But when the sun shines through the trees, as it were, and the Holy Spirit gives us understanding, it is the most wonderful thing.  Suddenly things make sense.

I am sure that you, like me, sometimes feel like your Bible reading has just gone right over your head, or in one ear and out the other.  You get up and forget what you read 2 minutes before.  If we can go just a little bit further and spend time really thinking about something that caught our attention, we will allow the Holy Spirit time to give us light on what we are reading.  It doesn't have to be a whole chapter, or even a number of verses, just one verse will do.  You will be surprised what will stay with you as you journey through your day.  I know that far too often I hurry away from my morning time the Lord and into my day without first really digesting my spiritual food.

Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I run from my quiet time with you and into my day without allowing you to speak to my heart and give me understanding of what I have read.  Please help me to linger with you to receive understanding of your word and so enrich my own life and be equipped to enrich others on the way.  Amen