Having Eyes to See

TODAY'S READING: Ex. 9, 10, 11; Luke 24

SCRIPTURE: Luke 24:18-32
¹³ Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; ¹⁶ but they were kept from recognizing him.

¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. ¹⁸ One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

¹⁹ “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. ²⁰ The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; ²¹ but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. ²² In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning ²³ but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. ²⁴ Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”

²⁵ He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

²⁸ As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. ²⁹ But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

³⁰ When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. ³² They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

OBSERVATION: I can relate to these two disciples. They had heard the prophecies about Jesus. The Lord had clearly stated that he would have to suffer, die, and then that he would be raised from the dead. They had the testimony of the women who had gone to the empty tomb and had angels tell them that Jesus was risen. Then Jesus actually comes and walks and talks with them but they don't recognize him! It isn't until he breaks bread and prays with them that they recognize Jesus. Despite all the evidence, they just could not see what was right in front of them. Because they had never seen someone coming back from the dead, it was inconceivable to them. It did not fit in with their experience and so they had no eyes to see it. In the passage above it says "they were kept from recognizing him". This could mean that God kept them from recognizing him for some reason but I think it was their own lack of expectation that he could possibly be alive that kept them from seeing him.

APPLICATION: Why do I act too often like these disciples? If I haven't seen God move in a particular way before, I tend to be skeptical. This, in spite of the fact that I have the written evidence in the Word that God is creative and delights in doing things in new and different ways. I think he has fun doing the unexpected. I like to think of myself as a person of great faith. I do have faith, but I also waver sometimes and hold my acceptance of new "workings" of God in check. I should do this if anything doesn't line up with biblical principles, but there is a lot of room for God to do new things in his Church inside those parameters. I think this story is in the Word to help us be open to have "eyes to see" when God does things outside of our comfort zone and traditions.

PRAYER: Father, I want to be large in faith and to have great spiritual vision. Help me remove any blindness I have so that I can see when you are walking next to me doing new things in my life or in the lives of others. May I be open to your creativity as you express it according to your wisdom in any way you choose. In Jesus' Name, Amen.