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October 08, 2024
Triumphant but not triumphalistic
February 08, 2018
And while they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst. But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. And He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." - LUKE 24:36-39
When they realized Jesus was really alive, the Emmaus men dashed back to Jerusalem, to tell the other disciples of Jesus’ triumph. But shortly they would learn the difference between triumph and triumphalism. As they shared the news with the apostles, Jesus appeared before them all, presenting His scarred hands and feet. Therein lies the distinction.
Triumphalism says, airily, “There are no scars, no pain, no tears, no blood, no cross, just happiness and victory!” The triumphant heart knows that victory is coming, but at great cost. The heart of triumph sees both the joy of the empty tomb and the horror Golgotha, yet still endures the cross for the “joy set before Him” (Hebrews 12:2).
Jesus calls you to hope based on reality, not dreaminess floating on fantasy. That’s the difference between triumph and triumphalism.
TODAY’S FOCUS
Don’t deny suffering because of a triumphalistic attitude, but don’t allow the pain to obscure the reality of the gain.
