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.