Road to Emmaus

Luke 24:15-32 tells us the story of some men on the road to Emmaus, a town about 7 miles from Jerusalem. They were sad about recent events - the crucifixion of Jesus, and the disappearance of His body after being laid to rest. A stranger came to join them on their walk and asked why their conversation was so sad.

Their response was, like, don't you know what's been happening around here, are you a stranger to these parts? They went on to tell the stranger about a man named Jesus, who did mighty works by God, that Jesus was a Prophet and how the leaders of the religious order had delivered him up to have him fasely accused and executed for all he had done and taught. How after he'd been buried, Jesus' body was removed, and they were lamenting over it.

The strangers said, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

When the men were approached their destination, the stranger said he was traveling further, but the couple invited the him to stay over because it was late. While the three were at the table for a meal, the stranger took the bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it to the two men. Their eyes were, at that moment, opened and they knew HIM to be Jesus - and the instant Jesus was recognized, He vanished.

They said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?"
There are times when we are walking about in our lives, pondering things in our own hearts and a direction, a solution, a relief in our soul or spirit takes place and we don't often see the hand by which it came, or what was whispered into our hearts as being from the Lord. We travel on our own roads to Emmaus, don't we?

It is not a difficult thing to listen to and recognize the voice of the Lord. He will speak only those things which will be in agreement with His Word. While we feed on God's Word and spend time in prayer, we will become accustomed to and recognize His voice. People who do not do those things, will not be "hearing". It's a hard life that depends upon ones own inguenuity and cleaver thoughts and plans. There's no peace, no success, no direction from God there, for our lives. It's all doable....or He wouldn't have given us those instructions.

While we are walking through our lives, we can and should expect the Lord to speak with us, BECAUSE HE IS. It's a sobering thought that while He is communicating with us, we aren't recognizing His voice, in our spirit. Like those men on the Road to Emmaus. I don't want to be one who's heart burns within me and not know why.

Father, I ask You to help us give ourselves to Your Word and to prayer. It's there where we grow in knowledge of You. Your wisdom, Your Word, is the principle thing in our lives. Help us to respond when our hearts burn within us with Your presence and Your voice to us. Help us to be hearers and doers of what you say. In Jesus' Name.