“Were not our hearts burning within us while He was talking with us on the road and opening the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:32
All at once He stood beside me, like He’d been there along. Not a stranger, but a Father who could sense when something’s wrong. He answered all my questions, He understood my fears; that somehow vanished now that He was near. Can’t you see, who walks with you? Can’t you feel who speaks your name? Can’t you feel something stirring in your heart? How his words ring strong and true, like a once familiar strain. Can the paths we follow from now on, be the same? These words are from a beautiful song that was written many years ago by the immensely talented Gloria Gaither and David Meece. She put to music the Road to Emmaus. I had the wonderful opportunity to sing and play this song during our Easter service. You can listen here.
What was the road to Emmaus?
After the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Christ, these events caused quite a stir. Many in Jerusalem and surrounding areas were talking about these momentous events. The Messiah had come, or so some thought. His body was missing from the tomb, many theories were swirling around the villages. Could Jesus have really risen from the dead? These events were being discussed by 2 disciples as they traveled down the road. As their discussion commenced, another person joined them. Their new companion asked why they were downcast, when they answered, they were quite downtrodden that the Messiah was missing from the tomb. Their new companion told them that the Messiah had to suffer death and resurrection in order to fulfill the scripture. He recounted the scriptures from Moses until the current day in which they were living. When they had reached their destination, their new companion wanted to continue on His trip, the 2 disciples implored Him to stay. As they sat to partake their bread, their new friend broke the bread and blessed it. At that moment, their eyes were opened. That was no stranger, but Jesus Christ. After their recognition He disappeared from their sight.
Eyes were opened
In their awe, they asked one another, “Were our hearts not burning in His presence?” Can you imagine being in that situation? Sitting in the presence of Jesus Christ, Lord of Heaven and earth? The Creator? The Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world? What an absolutely indescribable event. I tried to think, what would I do? I would cry, praise the Lord and do just as the disciples did, they rose and went to Jerusalem to tell the disciples. I’d sing songs and proclaim it from the mountain tops. I sat in the presence of Jesus!
Can we walk down the road to Emmaus today?
Are you absolutely encompassed with everything that is going on in the world? To use one of the phrases that my kids often utter, “Everything is a lot right now.” Amen children, amen. Life is A expensive, it seems as if each and every day a new dramatic event occurs. Opening the news is often like opening a Pandora’s box several times a day. Events heaping upon events, despair and hopelessness abound. We walk down the road and talk about everything going on and it just seems as if Jesus is never there. I’m here to tell you all dear readers that Jesus is indeed there. We’ve just stopped looking.
I once thought Jesus was not walking with me
I want to share a very deep and personal story. A few years ago we had a domino of calamitous events that impacted our family. Job loss, illness, family turmoil were just the beginning. I found myself in the hospital with organ failure from a very popular weight loss drug. I had been taking it for pre-diabetes. This drug made me very, very ill. My blood pressure was skyrocketing, it was just awful. By God’s mercy and grace I made it through that terrible time. When all the life events piled on top of one another I reached a pretty hard breaking point, I tried to cope in very unhealthy ways, a root of bitterness took a deep hold on my life. Interestingly enough, during that time I never stopped writing. In that time it was to no one in particular, looking back, the writing was a bit of a catharsis.
I realized Jesus was on the road to Emmaus with me
When the bitterness in life had reached its peak, I cried out to God. It was an ugly cry that wracked my entire being. In His faithfulness He answered. After that moment, I felt compelled to read all of the writings that had been poured from the depths of my heart. What happened after was nothing short of an Emmaus moment. Jesus had been walking with me the entire time. Each and every musing He was right there. My eyes were opened, I could see who was walking with me. I could hear who spoke my name, the stirring in my heart was always there.
Jesus desires to open our eyes
After all of the writing, I sat in prayer asking God to speak and He faithfully gave an answer. He said: “I’m here My beloved, I speak your name. Do you feel the stirring in your heart? As the world encompasses you in darkness, listen, hear My voice. I am here to walk with you, I want you to hear My voice. Look to My Word, spend time in prayer. Ask and you shall receive, I will take your burdens and prayers. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Walk with Me each day on the road to Emmaus, let Me change your heart.” Dear readers, He is there waiting to open your eyes. Pray to Him, Seek His Word, ask Him to open your eyes. He’s waiting He told us He would never leave us nor forsake us. Our lives are roads to Emmaus, we are walking through trying to find our peace, His peace is right there waiting for us. “The road to Emmaus is this world.” Franz Wright
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