THE WAY TO EMMAUS

On the pilgrimage of life we all have to walk along different roads of experience. There are days when the road is Marvelous. Wonderful things happen. Thank God for those interludes. There are days when the road is Monotonous. We just have to get up and get on with the daily routine of life. There are days when the road is Mysterious. We cannot work out what is happening. The Emmaus Road falls into this category. It is a road each of us walks along at some point in our lives. It is the Road of Disappointment, dashed hopes, shattered dreams, the broken heart.

Verses 13-16: Jesus Draws Near

In verse 15 a ray of light enters the picture: Jesus draws near. The important point of this verse is that when a Christian feels alone on the road of despair they never are. Did He not say to His followers, “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you”? Did He not tell the parable of the lost sheep and how the shepherd left 99 together to seek the one on its own? Here He put the parable into practice. Here He seeks two in danger of being lost. He was determined that darkness would not overtake them. Are you on the road called Disappointment? Is the word that dominates your mind, “Why?” Know this: Jesus is closer to you than you can ever imagine. He died forsaken so that you never would be.

Verse 27: He Turned Them to the Scriptures

Starting with Moses, Jesus showed them the golden thread of grace that runs through the whole of Scripture. Alongside it, He showed them the scarlet thread of redemption. He showed them how the two were inseparably intertwined. There is no better guide on the Road of Disappointment than the Word of God. When faced with the ‘Whys’ of life we have to ask deep questions. What happens now? Where do I go? To whom can I turn? Jesus pointed them to the Scriptures. He showed them there is a higher purpose, that God is still in control and He knows exactly what is going on.

Verses 30-35: He Revealed Himself to Them

With Jesus, life’s most common moments can become sacred and special. The miraculous is often found in the ordinary. A meal is served and, “They knew him in the breaking of the bread.”

That look was all they needed to have their perspective changed. With hindsight they had the realization that Jesus had been with them as they walked on the road. Sometimes we can get a new perspective in the routine of life. It has been my experience that the miraculous has been found in the ordinary.

Are you on the Road of Disappointment? Is the “why” word on your lips? Jesus is nearer to you than you think. He wants you to know that grace and redemption are still at work. He wants to reveal himself to you so you can get a new perspective.