Traversing the Road to Emmaus

We have all been in a dark place at one point or another in our lives. A place where our faith fails us, and Christ seems aloof. Abandoned and forsaken we feel that huge hole in our spirits that nothing seems to fill. We are tempted by the Adversary to walk away from our faith and fill our lives with all kinds of sinful things; things that bring instant gratification, but never last. We curse the morning sun as it drags us into a new day. We are left helpless and hopeless, full of self-loathing and shame. Loneliness and despair are our only companions, continually knocking on the door of our hearts.

Perhaps we feel trapped in a rut and see no way out. Dirty and tired we raise our fists towards heaven in deep despair. This feels like another day of misery and dread. By all accounts life appears to have abandoned us, leaving us for dead. We beg Jesus to talk to us but there is seemly no response, as the sultry air from the east beats down upon our spirits.

This is what the travelers on the road to Emmaus must have felt. These two faithful disciples witnessed the death of their Lord, a man they had placed all of their hope and life’s commitment. Heads down, feeling confused and lost they surely must have felt a mixture of anger along with a genuine sense of loss.  Cut off from God or at least they thought, they felt deprived of the glory that they so believed and sought.

Yet quietly a stranger walked into their midst and told them everything concerning the Scriptures from the prophets until now. Their spirits filled with hope as this man discussed the promise of God’s grace along the way. Their hearts burned with a renewed fire the more he spoke, but it wasn’t until the breaking of the bread that they recognized their visitor. Jesus lived!

Jesus does live and he lives in our hearts. He promised to never forsake all who believe, and he is there even in the silence of our despair. Sometimes like the travelers on the road to Emmaus, we simply don’t recognize that we are in his presence.

Don’t give up hope. Don’t give into the lies of the Adversary, for Luke tells us that he is the father of all lies. Life is often difficult, and as we traverse its path we are going to encounter hardships and disappointments, but Christ is there in the midst of them. Can we slow down long enough to recognize him? Can we quiet our hearts and minds so that we can listen and hear his voice?

Remember this: No one, absolutely no one is beyond the grasp of Christ’s grace. Even though we may feel lonely and deserted on occasions, Jesus is that stranger walking along beside us telling us everything we have ever done. He is that traveler who reminds us that we are forgiven for our sins. He is that wayfarer that consistently reminds us that life does have meaning and purpose. For life is a precious gift from God, even in the difficult times.