“Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the way, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” – Luke 24:32 (NRSV)
The folks on the road to Emmaus couldn’t recognize Jesus through their disappointment. And they said as much! “We had hoped he would be,” they said. “We expected God to ___. We anticipated that God would ____. We heard this promise, but it doesn’t seem to have come through.”
They said this to Jesus’s face!
And do you know what he did?
Jesus didn’t walk away from them. He didn’t abandon them. Instead, Luke the Evangelist tells us that Jesus “went with them.” Literally walked them through their disappointment and “opened up the scriptures” to them.
God. Has. Time.
If Jesus had time to wait with Mary through her tears. If Jesus had time to walk toward Emmaus. If Jesus had time to have his wounds poked by Thomas’ doubts. Certainly Jesus has time for you.
In your own grief. In your disappointment. In your doubt. Of course, God will companion you through all of this, and so much more.
Jesus goes with you!
As far as God is concerned, it doesn’t matter what road you’re on. It doesn’t matter how far you’ve stumbled or strayed. It doesn’t matter how foolish you’ve been, stubborn you’ve behaved, hard-headed you’ve persisted in being.
None of that matters. No matter where you are on this road:
Jesus goes with you.
Because God has time.
Prayer
Thank you, God, for walking this road with me. I value your time. Amen.
