“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together . . .”
— John 20:19
Can you even imagine how close the disciples must have been? They spent three years traveling around as a group. They saw amazing things together that other people might not even believe. They even had to go into hiding together after their Lord was killed, so they wouldn’t be put to death themselves.
They had their issues as a group. Jesus was always breaking up arguments over who was his favorite and who was going to sit next to him in heaven. But when Jesus was crucified and they were left alone, they stuck together, just like he told them to. It might have been safer for them to separate and run in different directions, but he’d said for them to love each other, lay down their lives for each other, and that’s what they were doing when he returned and appeared to them.
As members of his community, God gives all of us the courage to stick together for him. You can keep your friends going when other kids tease them. You know you have a place to go when the world says you’re a geek. God gives you that place among the other members of his community. Stick together.
More to Explore: Colossians 3:17
Girl Talk: Do you have a group of Christian friends you can count on when times get tough?
God Talk: “Jesus, help my friends and me to become better and better friends every day. Help us to love each other and stick tight when someone needs help. Amen.”
From That’s So Me by Nancy Rue