“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.”
- John 20:19 ESV
I was sitting on the porch this morning watching my human drink coffee and read his Bible when he read about the disciples after Jesus was crucified.
Those men had left everything to follow Him. They watched Him heal the sick, calm storms, feed thousands, and raise the dead. They believed He was the Messiah. Then they watched Him die on a cross.
Put yourself in their shoes for a minute.
The One they trusted, followed, and built their hopes around was gone.
Their future had disappeared.
Fear replaced courage.
Confusion replaced understanding.
The world looked a whole lot darker than it had a few days before.
Without Jesus, what were they supposed to do now?
I know something about that feeling. When my human disappears inside the house and leaves me on the porch, I start wondering if I’ve been abandoned. When he leaves for a while, I keep watching the driveway. Life just isn’t quite right when my human isn’t around.
Of course, my biggest concern is usually who will open the food container. But even a dog knows there’s a difference between having everything you want and having the one you need.
The disciples were about to learn something they couldn’t yet see.
Jesus hadn’t lost His power.
Death hadn’t won.
The story wasn’t over.
The resurrection would change everything.
Imagine those hours before they understood. They had seen Jesus’ power but struggled to understand His promises. They had walked beside Him, but now faced a world that looked like it had won.
And that’s what life without Jesus looks like.
We can go to work, pay bills, raise families, chase dreams, and fill our calendars. From the outside, everything might look fine. But without Jesus, we’re trying to navigate life without the One who gives it purpose, hope, and eternal meaning.
Jesus never promised following Him would make life easy. He promised something better: We don’t have to face it alone.
The risen Christ isn’t just a memory to admire or a good teacher to quote. He is our living Savior. Our hope isn’t anchored in circumstances or our ability to hold everything together. It’s anchored in Him.
My human took another sip of coffee and underlined a verse. I leaned against his leg. I don’t understand everything he reads, but I understand staying close to the one you trust.
Maybe that’s a lesson we all need. When life gets confusing, fear gets loud, and tomorrow looks uncertain, don’t try to build a life without Jesus. Depend on the One who conquered death and promises to be with His people.
Without Him, we may keep moving but lose sight of the One who gives us life. With Him, even when we can’t see the road ahead, we have a Savior who has secured our future.
That’s a whole lot better than chasing squirrels and hoping everything works out.
Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem
