Yes. Emmaus. As in the road to Emmaus. In the Bible. The book of Luke to be exact.
I was walking along a beautiful mountain path one morning. No distractions of music or company. My favorite walks are to observe what I see, listen to nature sounds around me but most importantly ignore all side-tracking thoughts that cause me to miss the moment. The earlier I take the walk, the better. Everything is fresh. Nature is waking up and scurrying about. Fall is here and the leaves are beginning to drift to the ground which causes the crunch beneath my feet that breaks through a silent moment. It’s in between my steps that I listen.
My ears are inclined without me even realizing it. It is at that moment when God often speaks to me. And He did.
I suddenly hear the word Emmaus. That’s it. Simply “Emmaus.” I stopped and responded by saying “You mean like the road to Emmaus in the Bible?” There was no reply necessary because I immediately knew.
I came home that day and began studying The Road to Emmaus in Luke 24. This is a season that God is doing a new thing in me and I have to get out of my own way. Easier said than done.
It’s been spoken over me that God is going to bring ministry to my life that is “unusual”. I actually find the “unusual” very interesting and creative. Without my dear husband Richard with me, the road is a bit more bumpy. But Richard's words, wisdom and encouragement reside in my heart. He always said I processed things differently. He said that my eyes, my mind and my heart worked incredibly visual together. I treasure the way God shows me beauty and resolve.
Personally, I look at ministry as moving about relationally and uniquely. I see how God has designed me to be one of a kind and enjoys teaching me with occasional revolution dropping in on my mind like a blast of power. But honestly, I don’t see how the puzzle all fits together! So my question is: How can I plan for the unusual? That’s just something that happens.
Like the two people on the Road to Emmaus they didn’t recognize Jesus though He was right beside them. They were in fact walking side-by-side. Jesus had to show them something and I believe He rather enjoyed doing so.
There are many seasons to our lives. Sometimes it seems as though I can’t recognize Jesus on the road to my “new normal.” Which in fact may not be a new normal at all but a “new unusual.” That’s exciting! Like receiving a new package containing something I greatly desire to have. I know it’s there waiting for me to step into that Kairos moment, grab it and open it up.
What I have to realize as I continue to seek Christ on my personal road to Emmaus is that He is right beside me even if I don’t see how He is leading me or where He is taking me. I simply need to know that I know that I know, we are walking together.
On my Emmaus road, I can only see as far as God wants me to. My quest is to keep travelling as far as I can see knowing that there’s a purpose for my personal path. Jesus is preparing me for the next turn in the road. I can count on Him to reveal Himself to me all along the way. I can trust Him. I can know Him on a deeper level as he “opens” my eyes to see Him.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24&version=NKJV