Disappointment to Elation - Full Circle

Disappointment to Elation - Full Circle

Many people love the Bible stories that are amazing or miraculous.  I love the simple obscure ones because they are so deep.  You have to really think and dig into what happened to find the real lesson.  One of my all time favorite stories in the New Testament is found in Luke 24: 13-35   It is called On the Road to Emmaus. Two men were walking along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus.  They were discussing all that had happened involving Jesus death.  Jesus came up to them and started walking with them, but they didn't know it was Him.  The Bible says "they were kept from recognizing Him."  I find this significant in that there was a reason these men were not to recognize Jesus. (Yet)

As the men were walking and talking Jesus asked what they were talking about.  Scripture says the two men stood still, and that there faces were "downcast" - sad.  Jesus is God so He knew #1 - what they were talking about and #2 that they were sad.  The men were incredulous and couldn't believe this stranger didn't know all that had happened in Jerusalem.  Jesus, plays dumb - "What things?" He asks.  In these two words I see Jesus taking the time to draw these two men out - to get them to talk through what is bothering them.  In essence, He is meeting them where they are and where their need is.  They need to talk about what has happened to Jesus.  Do you see the lesson in there for us?  When something is bothering us we need to talk about it.  If we hold it in it we never really deal with it. 

The two men proceed to tell the stranger (Jesus) all about what happened to Jesus of Nazareth.  As they are sharing the real crux of the matter, comes to light.  Verse 21 says "we had hoped that He was the One who was going to redeem Israel."  Ah - "they had hoped" - there it is - disappointment.  They were disappointed that what they expected didn't happen. 

How often do we bail out or quit or walk away because something we expected didn't come to fruition.  The expectations have usually been set by ourselves and quite often are unrealistic.  We may go into a marriage expecting that we will change our spouse and when it doesn't happen, we walk away.  We expect to get a promotion that is given to someone else so we quit our job.  The reality is when our expectations are not met, there is a reason.  You can't just bail out when you experience disappointment, you have to remember that God is in control.  He has a reason for all things that happen.

Back to the story - so Jesus gets the two men to open up and speak their disappointment.  Then Jesus takes them back to the beginning of the story - to Moses and what all the prophets had said needed to happen to Jesus and why.  He gives them the reason in order to help them through their disappointment. 

This next part is kind of amusing - so as the three of them are walking and come to the village, Jesus pretends he is going to keep walking farther - maybe to the next town.  The two, seeing this "urge Him strongly" (vs. 29)  to stay with them since it is getting close to evening.  So, Jesus obliges.  I like to think Jesus staying with them is symbolic of how God promises to always be with us.  But the story doesn't end there.  As soon as Jesus prayed over and broke the bread and began to share it, "their eyes were opened and they recognized Him..." (vs. 31)  Sometimes God reveals Himself in little 'de ja vu" moments and we all of a sudden 'get it!'  I love those ah ha moments of understanding.  They make everything make sense - as if all's finally right with the world.  

The two men had an ah ha moment - as if to say 'we get it' - 'we should have known' - "Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" (vs. 32) Realizing they were so close to Jesus their hearts were warmed by His very presence.  This was too exciting to hold on to so at once they went back to Jerusalem to report to the disciples what had happened.

From disappointment full circle to elation.  God was in control every moment of this encounter.  He is in control of every moment of every one of your days and every one of your encounters, too!  Believe and trust that there is a reason for it all.  Had these men not allowed Jesus to walk with them, had they not responded to Him by pouring their hearts out, had they not invited him to stay, think of all they would have missed.  Let Him walk with you.  Pour out your heart, He will listen.  Invite Him in. 

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."  Romans 8:28