These past few weeks, I have been on my road to Emmaus.
Aren’t familiar with the road to Emmaus?
13 And behold, two of them (Jesus’ disciples) were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place (Jesus’ death and people saying they had seen Him alive). 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them. 16 But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. 17 And He said to them, “What are these words that you are exchanging with on another as you are walking?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?” 19 And He said to them, “What things?” And they said to Him, “The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. 22 But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.” 25 And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.
28 And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther. 29 But they urged Him saying, “Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over.” So He went in to stay with them. 30 When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him and He vanished from their sight. 32 They said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?” 33 And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, 34 saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
Luke 24:13-35
Late last week and earlier this week, I have been asking, “Where are you, God?!” He hasn’t been revealing Himself to me like He has done in the past and I felt like I was on a spiritual standstill. I was wondering why I didn’t feel like I was growing any and I almost felt like God didn’t care. I was hoping that He was just doing something BIG in the background because He certainly hasn’t been playing center stage for a while. I had been doing everything I should have been doing; reading Scripture, praying, being active in Church, etc. So I was asking Him, “What am I doing wrong?!”
I had a pretty significant wake-up call. I AM STILL A SINNER! Big time. I have some major issues that I have to deal with NOW. I had been doubting God. Not only doubting His provision, but everything! I was just like the two on the road who said, “but we were hoping that He was the one to redeem Israel” (vs. 21). I was expecting God to be something specific to me—when He is, just in His way and not mine.
In that way, I did not recognize Jesus when He has been here with me the whole time. He never leaves me. He never takes a break from me. He never has something more important to do or take care of. Isn’t it wonderful to think of Jesus explaining the Scriptures to us? If we actually study Scripture and seek after God, He will be the one to help us understand them!
The day after my “aha” moment of realization that I need to ask God to grow my faith, I came across this:
Spiritual Famine
“Hear this! The days are coming’ – this is the declaration of the Lord GOD—“When I will send a famine through the land; not a famine of bread or a thirst for water, but of hearting the LORD.” Amos 8:11
One way God communicates is through silence. The Israelites blatantly ignored and rejected God’s Word to them, and God responded by sending a famine. This famine was far more severe than a shortage of food and water. Instead, they were deprived of His words of life.
God’s silence may be hardly noticeable at first. You may still remember times when God spoke to you, but you gradually realize you’ve not heard His voice for a long time. If you realize you are in a ‘drought,’ immediately seek God and ask Him what adjustments your life requires so you can once again enjoy fellowship with Him. It may be that you disobeyed His last instructions to you and that He is waiting on your obedience before giving you a new direction. It may be that there is unconfessed sin in your life or that you have a damaged relationship (Isa. 1:15; 1 Pet. 3:7). It is possible that you have done too much talking in your prayer times and that He wants you to listen. God’s silences can be powerful times for Him to communicate with you.
God is God! Because He is God, when He speaks He expects a listening ear and an eager response. He will not be mocked! (Gal. 6:7). When we ignore Him, He may withhold His voice until we repent and get right with Him. The prophet Isaiah assured King Asa, “The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.”
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