Jesus allowed the disciples to wrestle with their feelings while coming alongside them.
Reflecting on your life, in which moments have you felt Jesus closest to you?
For me, ironically, those moments weren’t during church meetings, crusades or worship concerts. They were mostly unexpected, but always intimate, such as during a quiet walk or even while sitting at my son’s bedside in the ICU.
Don’t get me wrong, I love going to church, and I am all for big worship meetings, but they are not a requirement for experiencing God’s presence.
This is also what I love about the story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. While they are deep in discussion, Jesus shows up and walks alongside them. He casually asks them, “What are you discussing together?” (Luke 24:17).
There’s no band on stage, they’re not fervently praying or calling on God. They’re not fasting, meditating on scripture or holding quiet time; they’re simply walking and talking when He shows up.
When Jesus joins the conversation, He doesn’t start preaching to them or rebuking their discussion; He simply joins the conversation by asking a question. When they start talking about “the things” that happened, He even pretends not to know and asks, “What things?” (Luke 24:19).
He could’ve saved time and wiped away all their confusion by revealing Himself as the resurrected Messiah right there, but instead He allowed the disciples to wrestle with their feelings and process all that had happened, while coming alongside them. I love Jesus, and how personal He is.
Are there things in your life you’ve been wrestling with? Recent events? Unexpected disappointment? Discuss them with Jesus. Perhaps you could even take an actual walk while you pour your heart out to Him. He might even surprise you with a follow-up question.😉
