The Lord seems full of desire to show them his wounds. This is more than simply reassuring them that he is no phantom, that it is a real but glorified body that he wore, that he has suffered and died truly, literally as a man but also as God, and he is risen to as a man and will wear his manhood forever. It is more even than that. It is a crowning assurance. ‘It is I myself.’ ‘It is the one you know and the one who you have been walking with for three years and who has promised to bring you to be with him in glory. You are not called to fear him but to love him, and fear is not an appropriate reaction, in spite of your normal instinctive dread of the realm beyond the grave.’ He draws up his garments and shows them his terrible wounds. That is what led them to be glad when they saw the Lord. We learn from this that assurance comes from the wounds of Christ. You say I have been spiritually cold this week. I have been too taken up with my worldly affairs. I have been too distracted by things that have come at me from all directions, and I have been overwhelmed and my prayers have been curtailed and I'm cold and unfeeling. Oh to have my assurance and certainty restored. Well go to the wounds of Christ. When the future apostles were completely dismayed and disconsolate and discouraged, the Lord gladly revealed to them his wounds. That is why he inaugurated the Lord's Supper: because regularly we come and we share and we pray and we praise him and we consider the sole ground on which we stand the suffering and death of our dear Saviour, and we see his wounds. So if you are far away and cold, just read the Gospel records. Just remember the wounds of Christ and his bloodshed for you and his broken body and if you can pray for nothing else, praise him and thank him for what he bore to purchase eternity for you, and he will draw near and he will amplify your gratitude in your heart and you will be lifted up and drawn close to him.