Let’s Do Lunch

Have you ever experienced a half-hearted argument with someone over who is going to pay for a meal in a restaurant? Or maybe you have eaten with someone who slowly reaches for the bill the server just dropped off at the table. Slowly enough that you know that they are either hoping or expecting that someone else at the table will reach out and take it…kind of pretending that they had intentions to pay…pretending that they were going to do something but hoping that they would not have to follow through.

Hardly sounds like something that Jesus would do but look at these verses: “As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly,” Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.” (Luke 24:28, 29)

“Jesus acted as if he were going farther…” Jesus faked them out? That is almost…un-Jesus like! Why would he do that? Why not just invite himself in? It worked with Zacchaeus – why not now?

These verses are a part of a story that I have mentioned before. It is on the road to Emmaus, shortly after Jesus has risen from the grave. The two followers do not know that it is Jesus who is walking and talking with them. They had heard from the women that Jesus had risen but they were still grieving…still questioning.

Jesus explains scripture to them…explains himself to them…and while I can picture them nodding their heads in agreement, they don’t really get it…not enough to recognize him.

But – they do invite him in…invite him to share their table and at that point, as Jesus breaks bread with them…at that point of intimate, personal fellowship, their eyes are opened. They get who Jesus was and who Jesus is…they understand why Jesus explained scripture to them on the road, their hearts were burning…

It took an invitation though. An invitation was needed for deeper fellowship, deeper relationship, to happen.

Revelation 3:20 says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me.”

This verse and the Emmaus account remind me that my relationship with God can simply be one of knowing the facts or it can be deeply personal, involving fellowship as intimate as sharing a table, symbolic of intimate friendship…open…face to face…

How deep the relationship goes depends on my willingness to “open the door”. He will enter…he longs to enter…but he won’t without invitation. Invitation from me. Invitation from you.

That’s why Jesus acted as though he would go farther…that’s why he stands at the door and knocks. He won’t take us any deeper than we allow. He waits for the invitation.

Ruth