What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?

What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?
Remember: "When God closes a door, He always opens a window!" You never know what might be out there waiting for you!

Monday, April 24, 2017

The Secret Garden Chronicles: Are We On the Road to Emmaus?

First, let me say that I am trying to get back into the "groove" of spending time with the Lord in the Secret Garden.  It seems as though I was on a little hiatus from there for a spell...not really on purpose, but perhaps by God's design. Perhaps there are times that we have to pull back from something we want to do so badly and let God re-direct our thoughts again so that they are in line with His thoughts.  Anyway, with Easter coming and going, and all of the other activities around here (the fence, etc.), I kind of got out of the habit of sitting before the Lord each day.  Now things seem to be calming back down, and I pray that I will be more consistent.

Oh...by the way...I finally came to the end of the first little journal booklet that I was using for the Secret Garden Chronicles...and now have begun a new one.  They certainly are colorful, aren't they? (Family Dollar specials). Better than that...I love what God has asked me to write inside. That's where the real beauty is.

Earlier this past week we were reading in our devotions from Luke 24:13-35, the story of Jesus walking with the two men on the road to Emmaus.  Apparently this was the same day of Christ's resurrection from the tomb, and He had not yet appeared to all of the other disciples...only to Mary Magdalene in the garden.

(This old picture is printed on foil, and is very special to me. It didn't copy very well because of the foil, but it has an iridescent quality to it that makes it just shine. )
These two men were very sorrowful as they walked and talked together, and they did not realize that it was the Lord walking with them.  When He asked them why they were so sad, they were astonished that He didn't know about the crucifixion of Christ and the news that His body was no longer in the tomb...and that the women had seen two angels who told them that Christ was alive...but they were all confused and unsure of what to think or believe.

As they walked further along with Christ, He began to tell them all the scriptures about everything that actually pertained to Himself.  The two men still didn't realize this was Christ.  When they drew near to the village, they asked Him to abide with them for the night.  Jesus came inside and sat down with them at the table...and when He took the bread and blessed it (see verse 30), their eyes were opened and they recognized Him...and as soon as they did, He disappeared from their sight.
However, they were so excited when they realized who He was that they got right back up and hurried all the way back to Jerusalem (seven miles!) to tell the other disciples that they had seen the Lord!

I'm wondering how often we are just like those men on the road to Emmaus...we carry our sorrows and burdens on our shoulders and hearts, and are so weighed down with our cares and concerns that we fail to recognize Jesus when He comes to carry our burdens for us.  Perhaps He comes to us in the form of a friend or neighbor...a nurse or counselor...perhaps even a total stranger...and we are so caught up in our own little world of fear or doubt or distress that we can't see how God has come to meet us...possibly not until later, when the crisis is past, and we have a chance to catch our breath and pause to look up and we say,
"That was You, wasn't it Lord?
That was You...who brought me food when I was hungry...
or provided transportation when my car broke down...
or gave me a break  on a big unexpected expense so that it wasn't as much as I feared...
That was You who smiled at me and waved me ahead in line when I was so weary
and couldn't stand much longer...
That was You, Lord, wasn't it?
You calmed my fears,
met my needs,
carried my burdens,
when I was without strength to go on..."

Lord, help me to keep my eyes open to ALL of the ways and places You are already there to meet me.
I want to recognize You...
and not miss out on the blessing of knowing 
Your Presence here with me.
And then help me to be eager to tell others
about Your great love, mercy and kindness.
Let my feet be swift to go to share the Good News of Your power to save and bring healing and comfort to others.
Help my hands to be ready to show forth Your praise as I pass on Your kindness to others,
as You have done for me so many times.
Thank You, Lord,
for being with us on the Road to Emmaus today.
Amen.



20 comments:

  1. Hi Pamela, I just read that in the Bible. I agree, sometimes we just need to be still. Life an be so busy, but we need-we should want to make the time to be with the Lord. I bet your secret garden is so special. I would like to make something like that in my yard. We live in the city so not much yard space. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thank you, Susan, for stopping by and visiting here again. I would love to have you visit our Secret Garden anytime! Yes, we do get so busy, but the Lord is always ready and waiting to spend time with us anywhere we are. We don't really need a special place, but it helps to find a consistent time and space to just be with the Lord each day. It can be at a favorite window in your home looking out, or just a corner of your yard...doesn't have to be a big place...just a place for you and the Lord, alone together each day. I hope you will be able to create such a place just for you and Jesus! Blessings my friend.

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  2. Yes, yes, yes...Thank You Lord for always being with us.

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    1. Oh Yes! Sometimes in the most unlikely places! We just have to open our eyes and see Him!! Yes, Thank You, Lord.

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  3. The hardest thing for this hyped up gal is to be still . The Lord has been teaching me over and over again there's no better place to be but "STILL" so I can truly hear His still small voice . Hugs and bjessings, Cindy

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    1. I totally understand. My One Word for 2017 is REST, and I am still learning what that really means. It doesn't necessarily mean to sleep...but to REST in the Lord, wait patiently on Him...spend time with Him in the stillness...So hard for us to do sometimes, but so rewarding when we do.

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  4. I am quilty of the same, getting ahead of God's plans, making plans for myself with praying, not listening when I should and so much more. He is faithful to show me and I have to humble myself at His feet and repent. He is always ready to restore and forgive. What an Awesome God we serve!

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    1. Oh so true! Amen! Our God IS an awesome God. He has so much patience with us...and we are so glad!!!

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  5. Rest, Trust, Peace..........that is what God gives to us, but we have to be willing to seek, and accept. Sometimes it is so hard to do that, but we have to keep working at it. I seem to go to Him, then take it back, and do it all over again. But I have peace knowing He knows me and knows my heart and mind. Very good post today.

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    1. Thank you. Yes, we all do that...we think we've got it all figured out, and then something new comes along and there we are again, reaching out and hoping Jesus is right there...and we should know that He is...He NEVER leaves us or forsakes us. We can have that assurance because He has promised it to us.

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  6. Hi Pamela, thanks for visiting my blog. I don't have to renew until the end of the year so I have time to decide. I do have to downsize. I enjoy your site and your encouragement makes want to keep blogging. Hugs

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    1. I hope you will Susan. Every voice of hope and encouragement is so needed in this difficult world we live in. We never know who may need exactly what the Lord has laid on our hearts to share at that very moment. Thank you for coming by to visit here again. Blessings to you my friend.

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  7. Amen, Pamela, that is so true! We often keep our eyes tuned to ourselves when we are in troubled times and all but forget the Lord is reaching out to us, walking with us, offering to carry all our burdens for us. I really needed these Emmaus words of yours today as I worry about Danny's impending surgery. I know God is with us in all of it, and I simply have to turn it all over to Him.
    Blessings to you!

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    1. Your experiences in the past few weeks have spoken to me about how many ways God is right there reaching out to us...Jesus is there in the hotel, the Walmart, the hospital...right there in the Uber...Your stories have been so encouraging. God will be with you and Danny during this next surgery as well. Yes, turn it over to Jesus. He's got you covered!!! And we'll be praying.

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  8. I think I often fret about things not realizing Jesus is right there to help. I let things weigh me down and I lose sight of the help that is there. Beautiful post!

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    1. We all do that, Melanie. We are human and we forget to recognize Him in the midst of all our struggles...but He's always there whether we see Him or not. Thank you for your thoughts today.

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  9. Oh Pam, I've been trying to ponder this passage of Scripture for several days. In fact, I'm thinking a blog post on it is warranted. Once again, God is trying to get my attention. :) It's so easy to miss Jesus, even when He's right in front of us! Oh to have spiritual eyes to see!

    Blessings!

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    1. Oh yes..How often have we missed Him, I wonder? I would hope that in time He will open our spiritual eyes so that we will recognize that He was right there with us all the time. I know we'd want to reach out and hold on to Him and keep Him there all the time...but I think that would be too easy. We wouldn't grow like He wants us to if we could see Him all the time. It's in these "blind" times that we begin to grow and mature in Christ the most. I hope to see your blog post on this when it is done.

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  10. "These two men were very sorrowful as they walked and talked together, and they did not realize that it was the Lord walking with them."

    I wonder how many times that is us.

    As you said, "That was You, wasn't it, Lord?"

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    1. I think it happens a lot more than we realize. Until later...when we stop and think about it...and we realize that He was right there with us and we didn't realize...but it still gives us great joy when we do recognize that His Presence never left us.

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