The road to Emmaus is the road we take after we’ve been to Golgotha. It’s the road out of town... the get-away road, when other roads we’ve tried turn into dead ends and cul-de-sacs. It’s the road of disillusionment, when earthly hopes and dreams fail to become reality, adversity finds our door, suffering isn’t relieved, and questions aren’t answered... the road to blaming God. Much like the first century Christians we try to drag the promised blessings and glory of God’s eternal Kingdom into our present earthly reality... into now. They had the presence of God in Jesus Himself, and God’s power was manifested in signs so numerous that if recorded “even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” But, they loved their life and wanted freedom from the world’s oppression, adversity, affliction and suffering. They wanted a king to bring them their best life now... not a martyr... crucified between two thieves. We want that too... health, wealth, our best life now, not the thorns and nails of our cross, not the transforming pressure of the crucified life, not the fellowship of our Lord’s sufferings... not adversity in any form, shape or fashion. The road to Emmaus is well marked in the battlefield of our mind, pockmarked with the doubts, fears and dead-end whys our half-truths spawn in misplaced faith... we have no difficulty finding it: “How foolish you are, says our Lord, and how slow of heart to believe all that I have spoken.” But even as we walk away our Lord is walking after us, wanting to draw us near, offering His companionship, and revealing His Truth that sets us free from false hopes... causing our hearts to burn within us... burning with our eternal hope in Him. The road to Emmaus is the road of great transformation as we finally lay aside our will... our wants... our earthly desires, in submission to His Lordship... moving ever further into God.
THE ROAD TO TRUTH
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