The Road To Emmaus

Luke 24:13-35

When Jesus rose from the dead, he appeared among his closest followers, but they did not recognize him. In their mind's eye, Jesus was a dead man in a grave where they remembered him. All hope was gone. When he appeared to Mary, she mistook him for the gardener. When he appeared to Cleopas and his friend, they thought he was a clueless stranger. Mary didn't recognized Jesus until he called her by name. The travelers on the Road to Emmaus didn't recognize him until Jesus broke the bread at dinner.

If you live long enough, you are going to travel the Road to Emmaus. It is the road you are forced to take when your heart is broken and your dreams for the future are crushed. It's the road you travel when a relationship ends, a job is lost or a loved one dies. It is lonely, hopeless and terrifying because you cannot recognize that God is still with you. That's the Road to Emmaus.

Jesus walked that road with his followers whether they realized it or not. When we trudge through seasons of grief and pain, we probably will not see that Jesus travels with us. Jesus allowed the two disciples to pour out their feelings of despair as they walked along. Instead of embracing them with words of comfort, Jesus slapped them with divine truth. "How foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all the prophets have declared."

When they arrived at their destination the weary travelers beg Jesus to stay for dinner. At the table, when the talking and walking had come to an end and all was quiet, Jesus took the bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it to them. Suddenly Cleopas and his friend saw that Jesus was always with them. The Road that seemed to lead only to suffering and pain, actually led to the joy of a new beginning.

Jesus continues to call us by name today. He takes us as he took that loaf of bread at the table with his disciples. He takes us in his hands of love. He blesses us with a future we never dreamed possible. He breaks us from past regret and failure and gives us love to share with the world.

When you stumble along your Road to Emmaus, keep the faith. Remember that God walks with us even if we cannot see a divine presence. Even when life makes no sense and it is a struggle to keep going, don't give up. For the day will come when you hear God's loving voice calling your name. You will feel Christ's hands as they take you, bless you, break you from the past and give you hope to share with the world. That's the miracle of Easter. That the Road to Emmaus doesn't have to lead you to despair but can actually lead you to the miracle of new life.

May we keep the faith in our travels through God's world.

Weekly Challenge: Trust that God is with you, even when you cannot recognize him.
Remember that God longs to:
take you in his hands,
bless you with a future,
break you from past hurt
and give you love to share with the world.