Emmaus

A group of us have just completed a study, going through Luke’s Gospel. The last chapter includes the story of two followers of Jesus who are on their way to Emmaus, discussing the past days events as they go. Jesus joins them on their walk but they don’t recognize him – at least not until later.

Don’t you wonder why Jesus wasn’t recognized? In this story it says that they were “kept from recognizing him,” Other instances following the resurrection when Jesus is not immediately recognized say things like the people “ didn’t realize” it was Jesus. I read these things and just wonder…how could they not know?

Have you ever been away from home, maybe in a different city, and you see someone from your town but it takes a moment to register? You are seeing that person out of context in a sense. You aren’t expecting to see someone from home while you are away so you don’t immediately realize who it is. I wonder if that is part of what is going on here. Though these folks had walked with Jesus for sometime they had not really understood all of his words to them…and they had no expectation, after watching him die on the cross, of seeing him again.

In this particular story though, I see another factor. When Jesus approaches the two and asks what they are discussing, “they stood still, their faces downcast.” (Lk. 24:17)

There was deep sorrow here.

They had recognized Jesus as a prophet and had even hoped that he might be something more…”we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel…” (vs. 19-21)

At some point in each of our lives, we will have a situation, a circumstance that won’t turn out the way that we expected. We may have been trusting God for a specific outcome but discover that sometimes our plan is not what God has in mind…and then in our sorrow and disappointment, we miss seeing him in the circumstance.

The valleys that we go through…the losses that we have had…the disappointments that we have endured can leave us wondering just where Jesus is…in our deep sorrow with our faces downcast, we can fail to see that he is right beside us…wanting to walk out our journey by our side…comforting us by his word…helping us to see that there is indeed a plan.

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Ps. 34:18)

“…and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mt. 28:20b)

Ruth