Stepping onto the road

The story of the disciples meeting Jesus on the road to Emmaus is a favorite of mine.  So often, I feel just as if I'm as blind as those disciples walking along with no clue that it's Jesus explaining the scriptures to them.  Eventually though, God whispers and I actually hear it.

If you'll recall reading that story toward the end of Luke's Gospel, some of the disciples are walking to Emmaus and discussing (maybe even lamenting) the past several days that led up to the crucifixion of Jesus.  Soon, of course, Jesus is walking along with them (but they don't see that it's Him), and he begins - way back at the law (Genesis) - to explain how the entirety of scripture points to the Messiah, and how Messiah had to fulfill the ultimate sacrifice.  By the time the disciples convince Him (still completely unaware) to stay for dinner, they are completely engrossed at His teaching.  It isn't until He finishes the meal and blesses them that they understand who He is.

I think I can actually understand that moment.  There are so many different ways that I feel unstable in the faith sometimes.  I may be feeling as though I'm missing a particularly important theological point, or that I'm focusing too much on the theology and not enough on God Himself, or worse that my own sin is far too rampant for me to be serious about being Christian in the first place.  But then, Jesus graciously opens my eyes (or sometimes in my case "belts me one") and I gain a new understanding.  Those moments of Christ's prompting are so wonderful.  It's like being awakened to colors you've always looked at but never really seen.

What I find myself wondering (humorously, I'll admit) is if the disciples ever went back out to the road - just to see if Jesus would be walking there again?

Hence the name of this blog - One Journey to Emmaus.  If it was me, I think I'd walk that road as often as I could, just for one more journey with Him.  I intend to use this space as an extension of the teaching I do (I am a teaching elder in a Middle Tennessee church), and also as a devotional of sort.  It'll be partly my own journey on the road to Emmaus (those "AHA!" moments of the faith), and partly a chance to encourage others.  I'll sprinkle in some apologetics and commentary as well.