Luke Chapter 24: Verses 19-23 (NIV-UK)
‘What things?’ he asked.
‘About Jesus of Nazareth,’ they replied. ‘He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.’
Luke Chapter 24: 31-33 (NIV-UK)
Then their eyes were opened and they recognised him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’
They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together.
As well as the sadness at Jesus’ death, you can sense the disappointment felt by Cleopas and his friend in this paragraph; “we thought He was the one,” and although they don’t say it in so many words, you can feel the “but perhaps we were wrong.” After all, they’re heading out of Jerusalem away from everything that’s happened, even although there seems to be signs of hope. They were prevented at that time from recognising that it was Jesus Himself who travelled with them. Even although they didn’t yet recognise Him, He began to minister to them and show them the truth. And once their eyes were opened, they got straight back on the road, even although it was late, and headed back to where they should be.
Sometimes God doesn’t move the way we expect Him to. He doesn’t have to; He is God, after all. Yet we may find ourselves being disappointed. Perhaps a promise has not yet come to fruition, perhaps a door appears to be shut. So, we think that maybe we got our wires crossed and got the wrong idea. And we head off on our own way, nursing our disappointment. And that may be in a completely different direction to the one that God planned for us.
But Christ is very gracious and continues to work in our hearts and travel alongside us, even if we don’t initially realise it. But if we allow the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts and we respond to that, then our eyes will be opened, and we realise that God has not forgotten us, and that what was promised will come to pass in His time, we find ourselves heading back on to the path that we should be on. And when our eyes are opened to the truth, we should respond right away, not put it off to another time, but head back to the place that we left, with joy and thanksgiving in our heart that Jesus was with us all along. A reminder that God’s ways are not ours. We may not always understand them and His timing is always perfect. So, if we remember that when something happens that threatens to set us off on a wrong road, it’s OK to tell Him how we feel, just as Cleopas did. He won’t allow us to go off track if we are open to what He is doing.
Dear Lord,
I am so grateful for Your grace that never gives up on me, even if I allow myself to wallow in disappointment. I know that Your ways are best for me. Forgive me when I don’t always understand and respond in the way that I should. And thank You, Jesus, that You are always by my side to keep me on the right road, even when I don’t recognise what You’re doing. Amen.