Luke 24: 13 – 32
Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. (Read through to 32) Luke 24:13-16
Easter – a time divided into before and after
A blood soaked before – a glorious and eternal after.
Before Life there was death – – – – strange how that works.
Christ death – our life.
Before a magnificent and enduring resurrection – – – the agony of the cross
Before such extreme joy there was such extreme sorrow.
But what about the middle ground. What was it like for Jesus followers after His death – knowing He was gone but not knowing what was next. We can easy assume His disciples and followers being so close had the inside scoop, that of course they knew He would be gloriously resurrected and that all of it including His death was part of Gods plan – – –
Yet we see them sorrowing and frightened – like us in the midst of loss or upended plans or circumstance – the tomb empty but what did that mean, trying to make sense of it all, hardly daring to hope, trying to put the pieces together, questioning what they had believed.
The story isn’t going how you planned, but that isn’t a reason to stop trusting that the story has a plan. Ann Voskamp
And its here Christ comes and keeps company with them.
For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. Matthew 18:20
Christ comes right into their midst along the road without them even knowing. Like how He began His work at a wedding in Cana, just a guest rubbing shoulders with family and friends in the middle of a celebration. With only His mother aware, without fanfare or show, while they were all looking the other way – water turns into wine.
Yes Christ is with us always and He shows up in ways we don’t always recognise at first.
Jesus encourages the two followers on the road to believe – He urges them to remember what has been written and what has been foretold, to not lose heart, to remember the promise. (Verses 25-27) Despair turning to hope. Water becoming wine.
Its the same for us in the middle along the way – where we we wait and trust and hope and dream between what is and what will be. When we remember the things He has said and what He has done, how He has overcome death on our behalf, when we remember the love He has shown us and the promises he has made – – – we start to see more than a dusty road under our feet and much further than our disappointment would take us. Faith stirs, hope rises, grace comes down.
We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! 1 Corinthians 13:12 The Message
Most of life happens in the middle.
Before the harvest there is the sowing – the laying of seed in the ground where it disappears like its gone for good and finished but – – – in the middle is the watching and waiting and believing – before any thing has happened just the promise of new life shooting up from the ground, out of the dirt.
Before the answer or the break through or the miracle or the clear path —
Jesus resurrected meets us right there in the middle.
Where our questions and tears and trembling are.
The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3;17
The middle part can be long and it can be arduous. But we don’t journey alone. His promises stand. His word rings true. His company constant and kind.
But always remember with God the good will come. Let the hard in between time be a sweet time with Jesus by filling your heart with prayer, praise music and promises from His word Lysa Terkeurst
Give Him your time, bid Him stay, eat and drink, draw in close and above all lets not lose heart. (Luke 24:28-32)
Do not abandon yourselves yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song. Pope John Paul II.
Love to you all today
Tracey
www.waterintowineblog.com