October 23
The Physical Reality
of the Resurrection
Luke 24:39
“Look at My hands and My feet. It is I Myself. Touch Me and see; for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”
Daily Steps
After months of building spiritual disciplines and character traits (Wisdom, Day 297), the new believer now turns to the cornerstone of Christian faith (Day 254): the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. This verse offers absolute, physical proof from the risen Christ Himself, establishing the certainty that His victory was real.
The peace in this principle is found in tangible proof:
The Invitation to Inspect: Jesus did not merely appear as a ghost or a vision; He invited His startled disciples to Look at My hands and My feet. It is I Myself. This direct invitation to inspect the wounds of the cross (The Redemption of the Cross, Day 225) confirms the continuity of His identity—the man who was crucified is the one who is risen.
The Proof of Physicality: Jesus provided a definitive, scientific distinction: a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have. His resurrected body was not a phantom; it was a physical body, transformed and eternally powerful. This guarantees that our hope (Day 270) for our own resurrection is physical, real, and verifiable.
The Foundation of Hope: The certainty of the Resurrection provides the ultimate eternal security (Day 297) for the Christian life. If Christ did not physically rise, our faith is futile (1 Corinthians 15:14). Because He does have flesh and bones, we know that His authority (Day 273) over death is absolute, securing our joy (Day 261) and final triumph (Day 227).
Your peace is secured by tangible proof. Embrace the Hope of the Resurrection today by meditating on the physical reality of Christ's body—flesh and bones—knowing that His bodily resurrection is the guaranteed foundation for your own future life and eternal peace.
Reflective Question
If the Resurrection is the guaranteed foundation of your faith, how does the tangible proof of Christ's flesh and bones change the way you face a current challenge or difficulty? What anxiety can you lay aside today because His victory is real?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank You for the absolute certainty of the Resurrection. I praise You, Lord Jesus, for inviting us to touch Your hands and feet and see that You have flesh and bones. I pray that this tangible proof would be the unwavering foundation of my faith. Secure my peace today in the Hope of the Resurrection, knowing that because You live, I too shall live. Amen.
