Walking with Jesus

Luke 24:13-35 

V13-16 Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem.  And they talked together of all these things which had happened.  So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.  But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.

V28-31 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther.  But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them.  Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.  Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.  (NKLV).

Easter 2018 is just around the corner.  When thinking about Easter I was encouraged by the above passage of Scripture.

Two men, one called Cleopas, were travelling (walking) from Jerusalem to Emmaus, a journey of seven miles, or just over 11 kilometers.  As they walked they were talking about the events that had just happened in Jerusalem.  The crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  It was a huge event, as everybody knew about it.

Jesus Himself draws alongside and walks with them as they chat.

Here we have Jesus Christ, the Son of God, He who created the worlds with a word, healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out demons, broke the power of sin, and fed the hungry.  Yet, these two men didn’t know Who it was!  They thought they were on their own.

How often does that same thing happen to us?  We’re walking through life, bearing life’s burdens, doing our best, and it seems like we’re on our own.  The stuff that has been going on in our life is “obvious” to us.  It even seems God is not with us.

However, there was something these two men could not see or know.  V16, their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.  It was that Christ Himself was walking with them.

Later we read, V31, Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him. 

The Greek word “knew”, is the word “epiginosko”.  It means to know accurately, to know thoroughly, to know well, recognise, perceive, find out, understand!

Do we ever need that or what??  Yes we need a revelation, an opening of our eyes, the unlocking or our understanding to know well, perceive, and understand that Jesus is walking with us!

When Jesus is walking with us, everything is different!  Our hearts will burn at the things He shares with us.  Jesus will be no stranger to the issues we’ve been living through, but involved in those issues.  We’ll have fresh energy to retell our life’s message.

Easter is all about God entering into our daily life.  It’s not an annual event that we celebrate and then forget for another year.

Easter speaks!  It speaks of a loving God, who cared enough for us not to leave us walking along a lonely road, but to come and walk with us, bearing our burdens, forgiving our sin, and bring light to darkened minds.

Easter’s message is one for the multitudes, and one for you and me.  It’s personal.  Taylor made just for the unique individual we are.

Jesus knows the road we are walking on.

My prayer is this;

“Heavenly Father, Thank You! Thank You for coming to the earth for me!  Thank You for living, dying and rising again for me.  Thank You for forgiving me.  Thank You for saving me!  Lord, please give me a revelation, an understanding, a “knowing” that You are there right beside me and walking with me.  Please unlock truth for me, and energise me to live the message you’ve given me, and proclaim by word and deed the wonders of the Cross.  In Jesus Name, Amen”. 

This Easter, may you too pray that prayer, and may you know that you don’t walk alone.  May Easter remind us of all that the Easter message is, but also that Jesus is walking with us!