John 21:1

John 21:1 says, After these things, Jesus shewed Himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed He Himself. The disciples were no longer locked away but were out in the world again.  That is where God expects His people to be.  Yes, we need to gather together at times, but we are commissioned to go into the world.  We cannot win the lost by withdrawing from the world.  We can be assured that when we are in the world, God is with us.  The Holy Spirit indwells all believers, and to borrow from a commercial, we never leave home without Him.  Verse two says, There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of His disciples.  Seven of the eleven remaining disciples were there.  Peter, who was always quick to act, was one.  Thomas, who was prone to doubt was another.  Two were not named, but were there still identifying with the others .  Four were not there, so they missed this meeting with Jesus.  No matter how we may have failed as His followers, God does not abandon us.  Peter had denied Jesus and Thomas had doubted His resurrection, but He had not abandoned them.  We are all different in nature.  Some of us are act quickly and boldly as Peter usually did and some are more questioning as Thomas was, but God is there for all of us.  When we fail, as we will, we do not need to live in despair.  God is still with us, to forgive and strengthen us.  The disciples accepted Peter and Thomas as still being fellow disciples.  When someone fails as a Christian, and asks God for forgiveness, we need to accept them without judgment or reservation.  When someone is restored, that person is fully restored.  We cannot feel that we are better than them.  The world may hold their actions against them, but God washes away all sin.  Jesus came to them while they were going about life, and the Holy Spirit does the same with us today.  He is with us always.