Luke 24

Have you ever been so heartbroken or disappointed that you wondered where God was?

I have had my share of disappointments in life. Oh, I've spiritualized it and gone through my "Christiany" process--only to be more disappointed at times if God didn't respond the way I had expected.

In this discourse, Cleopas and his companion were walking on the road to Emmaus. They were disappointed that because Jesus was killed He might not be the anticipated Messiah. And here on the road Jesus Himself walked with them and talked to them, and yet they did not recognize who He was. Their eyes were closed even after all they had been taught.

Jesus shared with them the truth of Scripture and how it reveals who He is. They had the opportunity to hear perhaps the best sermon ever preached about the Messianic prophecies. Still, they didn't recognize Him.

My goodness! That sounds very familiar. I, too, have learned much about God; yet I couldn't recognize Him when I was so disappointed.

The pair urged Jesus to stay with them and He readily agreed. And when they broke bread together, their eyes were suddenly opened. They could now recognize Jesus.

What triggered the opening of their eyes? I think it was their desire for Him to stay. Interestingly, the Greek word for "to stay" is also translated as "to abide." Jesus said in John 15:4, "Abide in me, and I in you." Earlier in John, He says, "Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him" (John 6:56). They asked the Lord to abide with them and then He opened their eyes.

When the Lord abides in us He opens our eyes to the truth of who He is. You may not always recognize the Lord's presence in the difficulties of your life. But abide in Him. Trust in Him. He will show you that He is indeed present in your life.

When I discovered the true resurrected Jesus and discovered His promises are true, I wanted to tell everyone about Him, like these men who turned around and walked seven miles to tell people in Jerusalem.

I hope you will tell others, too!

1. Have you ever suddenly understood a truth that had earlier confused you? What was that like?
2. When you have felt like giving up your faith because you were disappointed, how did you get that resolved?
3. If you have experienced the Road to Emmaus in your life and have not told people about it, how can you change that?

About the Author Kody Krady I love to cook and to recreate food I’ve eaten somewhere. I like to make up the recipe as I go along. For the most part, it all turns out. My husband says he likes being a guinea pig. The problem comes when people ask me for recipes. I don’t measure things, so it is hard to come up with the exact amount. I live with husband, Kip, and two “fur kids,” Billy and MarshMello.