April 10

"When He had thus spoken, He showed them His hands and His feet."—Luke 24:40.

BEHOLD My hands and My feet, said Jesus, that it is I Myself.

It was just as if there could be no mistaking these blessed hands and feet. The disciples knew them much too well—about them there were a unique character and an unmatched glory,—the hands which had never wearied giving and helping and ministering; the feet which had gone about continually doing good. My soul, hast thou felt the touch of the Master's health-imparting and peace-bequeathing hands, so that now thou must recognise them anywhere? Have His feet often crossed thy threshold as He has gone hither and thither publishing salvation, so that thou art acquainted with them better than with any other feet in all the world?

But, when He came to these friends of His on the evening of His resurrection Sabbath, He showed them pierced hands and pierced feet; the rough nails had hurt and shamed them sorely, and had left their scars behind. Surely I love to contemplate these nailprints of my Lord—these stigmata of Jesus. They are the certificates of my redemption. They are the pledges and proofs of my everlasting life. With them He has purchased my freedom. With them He has taken the prey from the mighty and has delivered the captive. His wounding is my healing, His sorrow my rest. For that is true which George Herbert sings—

"Love is that liquor sweet and most divine, Which my God feels as blood, but I as wine."

Then are the disciples glad when they see the Lord. Out of the sepulchre He comes to them with benediction.