Tuesday April 29

Judges 9:22-10:18

Luke 24:13-53

Psalm 100:1-5

Proverbs 14:11, 12

The Road to Emmaus

This passage from today's reading really struck me. Two of Jesus' followers were walking to Emmaus when He began walking with them. They were sad that Jesus had died, hoping that He would be the one to rescue Israel. Jesus (though they didn't know it was Him yet) reprimanded them for not knowing what the scriptures said about the Messiah. He proceeded to explain everything to them from the writings of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms regarding the Messiah. 

I had to wonder: this couldn't be the first time these men had heard about the Messiah. It definitely couldn't have been the first time they heard it from Jesus personally. He spent much of His ministry explaining who He was and what was going to happen to Him. But yet they still didn't get it, even after hearing it again from this "stranger." 

Once they recognized Him, they finally understood. But even though it took them awhile, God was still working in their hearts the whole time. I love verse 32 when they said, "Didn't our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?" Even though God was preventing them from recognizing Jesus, something deep in their spirits knew it was Him. 

Sometimes it can take me awhile to understand something. Sometimes I have to read or hear something over and over before it really sinks in. That's why it's important to read God's Word everyday. You never know what God may be trying to tell you.