Luke 24:13–35

Be still:  Lord Jesus, quiet my mind and open my heart today. Help me lay down my own expectations, to see you clearly and to follow you faithfully as I read and engage with your Word? Amen.  

Read: Luke 24:13-35  

They asked each other, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?' (v32) 

Encounter: I don’t know about you, but when I go through seasons of disappointment, like the time I was made redundant, I can be consumed by a sense of failure and confusion. My mind gets so fixated on what went wrong and looking inwards that I can become completely blind to the beauty around me. 

The two disciples walking the seven miles to Emmaus were caught in that same fog. They were downcast, processing the shocking execution of the one they hoped would redeem Israel. Jesus himself drew near and walked right alongside them, but Luke notes that 'they were kept from recognising him'. They were so blinded by their unmet expectations and heartbreak that they couldn't see that Jesus was standing right next to them. 

Jesus gently listens to their grief and then he does something beautiful. He doesn't just reveal his identity immediately; he takes them through the Scriptures, showing them how the Messiah had to suffer to enter his glory. Later, as he breaks bread at their table, their eyes are finally opened. He vanishes, leaving them with a profound realisation: 'Were not our hearts burning within us...?' 

I think we often walk our own Emmaus roads. When life doesn't go the way we planned, or when disappointment clouds our vision, we can assume Jesus has abandoned us. But this passage reminds us that Jesus is often closest to us when we feel most lost. He walks with us in our confusion, uses his Word to rekindle hope and reveals himself in the breaking of the bread. 

Apply: What disappointment are you carrying on your 'Emmaus Road' right now? Take a moment to invite Jesus into that specific grief and ask him to open your eyes to see he’s already walking alongside you. 

Devote: Lord Jesus, thank you that you never leave me to walk on my own. Open my eyes to see you, stir my heart and give me the joy of your presence today.