Daily Devotional For Thursday, November 5, 2026
Good morning Southside! I am following the One Year Chronological Bible reading suggestion and any Bible verses you see highlighted in bold (ex. John 3:16), means it is a link to that verse. All you have to do is click on the reference and it will take you to the verse online. Our daily devotional for today comes from Luke 24:1-12.
In the One Year Chronological Bible reading, we are now in the Resurrection accounts of the Gospels. Each one has their own version and none of them contradict the other. The Bible tells us that some women, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James and several other unnamed women went to the tomb to prepare the body of Jesus. When they got there, their sadness over His death turned to shock over what they found. The stone had been rolled away, the Roman seal had been broken, the Roman soldiers on their post were gone, and when they entered the tomb the body of Jesus was gone.
Then out of nowhere two angels appeared to them in dazzling robes. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground in humility. “Why are you seeking the living among the dead?” the angels asked the women. The angels told the women that Jesus was not in the tomb but had risen just like He said He would. The angels had to remind the women of this. They had heard Jesus says this in Galilee. Then they remembered. So, they rushed back to tell the 11 disciples what they had experienced and they said it was all nonsense. They didn’t believe the women because in that day the testimony of a woman was not accepted as truth.
But Peter, well, he had to go see for himself. He got there, ran in and saw the linens Jesus had been buried in lying there on the burial pedestal. He went home wondering, confused as to what to believe. The Greek word used to describe Peter’s marveling and wondering what had happened is often something positive in Greek. It seems that maybe, maybe, Peter was sort of open to the possibility Jesus might be resurrected.
This story is held in the vice trip of hopelessness. Everyone who was a follower of Jesus lost hope the moment He died. They had given their lives to following Him and now were they fools for doing this? How do you return home and save face to family and friends who may have warned you what a crazy foolish idea it was to do this? What stands out to me in this text is how God took the woman and the disciples back to the promises of Jesus before they would see the person of Jesus.
We see the same thing in the story of the rich man who went to Hades and Lazarus who went to Paradise. The rich man is in torment and begs Abraham to send someone back to tell his four brothers about the reality of hell. Abraham says, “They have the word or the Scriptures.” The man said, “That is not enough. They will believe it if someone comes back from the dead.” And Abraham said to him, “If they will not listen to the Word of God, they will not believe someone who comes back from the dead” (Luke 16:31).
Reflection Assignment: You probably would say you believe the Word of God. Great. So, what parts of it are you in disobedience with at times? To disobey is a form of disbelief. What do you need to do to demonstrate more belief?
Scripture To Meditate On: Matthew 20:18-19, “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. (19) Then they will hand Him over to the Romans] to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day He will be raised from the dead” (NLT).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, I never want my disobedience to be disbelief. I know I am to walk by faith and it is faith that pleases You (Heb. 11:6). Lord, please help me to trust You and Your Word when I have doubts and are vulnerable and temptable to disobey. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly