Today’s scripture: Luke 24:13-35 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message)
As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.
My thoughts (Tommy Chittenden):
It’s the last week of Discipleship 101 for the Summer Class of 2008. Along with a celebration dinner, the nine of us will share in reflecting on our collective life journeys and express gratitude to the Lord through Communion. The ten weeks of Discipleship 101 have become a “holy experience” for me as a Discipleship teacher.
Many of you have experienced similar amazing, life-changing moments during your own 101 classes as you have intently listened to the spiritual journeys of your fellow classmates. Sometimes the obvious intervention and provision by God is so profound that it serves as a reinforcement in our own lives that “while we may not have recognized His presence on our journey, He was there all the time.” This course, along with Discipleship 102, is the heart of the SoulShift program, challenging each of us to our core as we explore what it means to be a disciple of Jesus by wrestling with His words.
This account of the two men on their way to Emmaus attempting to retell the story to this stranger who has joined them must have been full of despair. But then Jesus tells the story back to them, this time through the lens of their own faith tradition and scriptures. Can you imagine what it must have been like to hear this “stranger” beautifully and convincingly explain to them that the “story” is not about them and their disappointment? It is about life, relationship, and hope!
Can you imagine the look on their faces when Jesus raises the bread to bless it and extends His hands to give the bread to them? Could it be that it was at that moment they “see” His scarred hands for the first time and they recognize Him as the Lord? After He disappears they begin to put all the pieces together. Coupling the “burning in their hearts” with the visual evidence during the meal, transformation began and they were back on the road to Jerusalem to share their experience.
This beautiful story is an image of a God who walks alongside human confusion, human pain, and human loss of faith and hope. Emmaus invites you and me to expect God to find us on our journey. The Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts, our spiritual eyes are made to see, and we experience communion with God through the Christ.
Thought for the day: Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day is past; be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts and awaken hope, that we may know you as you are revealed in scripture and the breaking of bread. (from The Book of Common Prayer)
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.