When he (Jesus) was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to one another, “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:31-32 ESV
Two men were on their way to a village named Emmaus. Their hearts were deeply troubled by recent events. Verse 21 reveals their crushing disappointment: “We had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.” What’s more, ‘some women’ claimed they had seen a vision of angels who said that Jesus was alive. Troubling times, indeed.
Have you found yourself in a similar situation? Matters go from bad to worse. Just when you thought the situation couldn’t get any more dire, you get slammed with speculations that raise more questions and doubts. The future you’d dreamed of suddenly seems pointless.
When circumstances leave you confused, run to God. Ask Him to open your eyes and offer you just a glimpse of His perspective. Ask Him to send you to Scriptures that relate to the situation that is puzzling you. I have seen that happen over and over again. Sometimes, it’s a verse or a passage of Scripture, a Christian song with lyrics that speak to my current need. Other times, I’ve received a word of encouragement from a trusted friend. I can’t tell you how often I have received comments, emails, or text messages from readers who tell me that that day’s devotion spoke precisely to their current situation. That’s not me; it’s one hundred percent the work of the Holy Spirit, who ministers to our hearts at just the right moment.
Ask and ye shall receive (Matthew 7:7). God isn’t too busy to address your questions, your qualms, your disappointments. Thing is, you have to ask.
Open our eyes, Lord
We want to see Jesus
To reach out and touch him
And say that we love him
Open our ears, Lord
And help us to listen
Open our eyes, Lord
We want to see Jesus.
Lyrics by Robert Cull