Close to Him - Greg Laurie Devotion - January 07, 2026

“Afterward he appeared in a different form to two of his followers who were walking from Jerusalem into the country. They rushed back to tell the others, but no one believed them.” (Mark 16:12–13 nlt)

One of the great mysteries of the Bible is why Jesus chose to appear to certain people and not others after His resurrection. There is no record of His appearing to the Jewish religious leaders who opposed Him during His earthly ministry. Or to the high priest Caiaphas, who orchestrated His crucifixion. Or to the Roman Emperor Caesar. Imagine the drama if He had appeared to Pilate: “Yo, Pilate! Remember me? Can’t keep a good man down, can you?”

Instead, we find post-resurrection accounts like the one in Mark 16. Jesus appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus and joined them on their journey to the country. We don’t know who the disciples were, and they are not mentioned again in the Bible.

Verse 12 tells us that Jesus “appeared in a different form” (nlt) to the pair. In other words, He went incognito. The two travelers had no idea that they were walking with Jesus. Later, when they told others about their encounter, “no one believed them” (verse 13 nlt). Maybe it’s because their story lacked drama and spectacle. The idea of the Lord walking incognito lacks punch.

But it’s revealing as to how the Lord works. It’s a reminder to believers that Jesus walks with us always, even when we’re not aware of Him. In Isaiah 43:2, the Lord promises, “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you” (nlt). Sometimes God’s people don’t realize He’s there until the rivers, flames, and other obstacles are in our rearview mirror.

In 1 Kings 19:11–13, the prophet Elijah experienced God’s presence not in a windstorm, not in an earthquake, not in a fire, but in “the sound of a gentle whisper” (verse 12 nlt). Just as people must pay close attention to hear a gentle whisper, they must also pay close attention to experience God’s presence.

Feeling close to the Lord isn’t something that happens only in church. Wherever you go, you can know that Jesus is with you there, too. When you’re going through hard times, even when you cannot feel Him, Jesus is there.

That’s great news for believers—news that should be celebrated. One of the best ways to respond to the Lord’s quiet presence in your life is with a spirit of gratitude. Thank God that you never have to wonder where He is when things get tough.

Another great way to respond is with silence of your own. Commit to a regular quiet time—a time when you intentionally block out the noise and distractions of the day so that you can be aware of God’s presence.

Reflection question: How does God make Himself known to you?

Copyright © 2026 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/DieterMeyrl

Greg Laurie is the pastor and founder of the Harvest churches in California and Hawaii and of Harvest Crusades. He is an evangelist, best-selling author, and movie producer. His latest film ‘Jesus Revolution,’ from Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company, is now available on-demand worldwide.

For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
and
Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com and weekly podcast on LifeAudio.com.

Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.

Kids today are growing up in a world that’s fast, loud, and often lonely, but Jesus offers

them a friendship like no other. In this warm and beautifully illustrated book, bestselling

author Sally Lloyd-Jones helps young readers see that Jesus is not far away. He’s close.

He listens. And He loves them more than they can imagine. Jesus, Our True Friend is a

powerful gift for children, families, and anyone who wants to pass on the love of Christ.

Request your copy today with your gift to Harvest Ministries.

Click here to find out more!